


cecelia - p5r

by honeyandroses



Series: the stars asked me what i wanted (and i told them you) [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal
Genre: Akechi Goro is Bad at Feelings, F/F, F/M, Love Triangle but not really, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Persona 5 Spoilers, Royal True Ending (Persona 5), Slow Burn, Where a Girl Tries to Figure out How her Life Got Complicated so Fast
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 96,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24187105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyandroses/pseuds/honeyandroses
Summary: "heart, i implore you, it's time to come back from the dark." - mary oliver, from "summer morning"---Where the vice-president of Shujin Academy, Cecelia Akamatsu, meets the new transfer student on a fate-driven Sunday in April. Everything she once new changes on the spot, a rebel heart guiding her to where she assumes she is meant to be in the end. Choices are offered and decisions are made, but was the choice she made the right one?
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Original Female Character(s), Kurusu Akira/Original Female Character(s), Niijima Makoto/Okumura Haru, Suzui Shiho/Takamaki Ann
Series: the stars asked me what i wanted (and i told them you) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1893271
Comments: 63
Kudos: 89





	1. the start of something (and everything and nothing)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the beginning has arrived.

heart,

i implore you,

it's time to come back,

from the dark,

it's morning,

the hills are pink

and the roses

whatever they felt 

in the valley of night

are opening now 

their soft dresses,

their leaves

are shining.

why are you laggard?

sure you have seen this 

a thousand times, 

which isn't half enough.

**let the world**

**have its way with you** ,

luminous as it is

with mystery 

and pain- 

graced as it is,

with the ordinary.

\---

_"summer morning"_

written by mary oliver, in her book red bird


	2. 01 - student council members

Out of all the things Cecelia Akamatsu would like to do on a Sunday, greeting a new student to Shujin Academy was not the most ideal out of all the activities she could choose. When the very concept was introduced to the girl she sighed, knowing that there was very little that she could say that would get her out of this.

“Akamatsu-chan, you and I would both prefer if it were this way. You are more comfortable with the second years, and I know the two of us want him to feel comfortable despite his...given situation,” Makoto Nijima, the student council president at Shujin Academy, started, looking at the black-haired vice-president with sympathy glittering in her red eyes. Despite caring deeply about the students, the two most influential members of the student council didn’t like the concept of their positions consuming them completely, the two of them sharing agreements on the subject after everyone left the school for the day or over phone calls that usually ended up longer than the two of them ever anticipated. “Besides, I promised Sis I would be home so the two of us could have a day off together. I am sorry that I can’t be here, but I know-”

“You can save the motivational pep talk for someone who truly needs it Makoto,” Cecelia started with a laugh, blue eyes shimmering slightly as she ran a hand through the black curls that were normally secured back with a ribbon, “I was going to do it anyway, and please, call me Cecelia. We’re friends at this point, right?”

Makoto’s eyes widened ever so slightly, her gripping her school bag on her shoulder a little more tightly for a few seconds. Before Cecelia could utter an apology for possibly offending the brown-haired girl, however, her eyes fluttered shut and pink lips formed into a gentle and genuine smile that Cecelia only saw when the two of them were alone. “I suppose we are Cecelia. And thank you, you truly are a lifesaver. Do you want to grab some food with me?”

The curly, black-haired girl smiled, her eyes crinkling to show the happiness she rarely expressed inside the walls of Shujin Academy. “I’d love to.”

As the two of them walked down the hallways to the main gates of the school, people stole glances at the two student council members. Luckily, the once full hallways were now emptying due to the final bell ringing out, but gossip about the two girls still revolved around them, earning a sigh from Makoto and a (not so) subtle eye roll from Cecelia, her running a pale hand through her hair and messing up the black curls that framed her face. “Don’t they have anything better to talk about than us?” She mumbled, looking at the brunette to see her reaction to it all.

_“Hey, look, it’s miss-perfect and her sidekick! I wonder what they’re doing for the principal now?”_

_“At least leave Akamatsu-san alone, she actually cares about us.”_

_“The only thing she cares about is being a kiss ass towards the teachers.”_

_“Hey, how much do you think it will take for me to date her?”_

The brunette sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly, “It’s pointless to even try to listen to them.” Cecelia hummed in agreement, her blue eyes lingering on the brunette for a moment longer before turning to face the open doors of Shujin Academy. “Don’t let them get to your head Makoto, they’re just upset because we’re doing what’s necessary of us.”

The faintest smile appeared on the president’s face, her letting out a breathy exhale that Cecelia counts as a laugh occasionally. “I suppose you’re right.”

\---

The rest of the night passed for the black-haired girl without much of a second thought from her; her letting out a yawn as she unlocked the door to her home located in Yongen-Jaya. Slipping off her shoes at the door, she let out a silent laugh at the Shiba Inu that bounced towards her, tail wagging excitedly at the girl who had just arrived. “I missed you too Minako,” She said softly, petting the large tan coloured dog between the ears, “I trust dad has already taken you out tonight?”

As if on queue, Haruki Akamatsu walked downstairs, still dressed in his work clothes. “You’re right about that Lia, you know how impatient she is.” 

Cecelia nodded, giving her dad a quick side hug before following her dad to the kitchen. Setting her school bag on the counter, she hopped up next to it, her watching her dad as he opened the fridge to look for something to bring to work tomorrow. “Was work okay?” Cecelia asked, her swinging her legs back and forth and watching as her grey thigh high socks expanded and contracted with the movements of her legs. 

“Yeah, it’s just getting busier than ever recently. It seems like as soon as everything calms down, ten more cases pop up,” The statement caused the blue-eyed girl’s lips to turn into a small frown, her noting the now increasing grey stripes in his hair, “I take it Nijima-san is doing well? You sounded like you were having a good time when you answered my call.”

Cecelia mumbled a reply, her mouth full of a strawberry that her dad handed to her moments prior. “Yeah, we both really needed to not focus on student-council related things for a little while with each other. We’re both a little worried about the new student coming tomorrow, so we needed to take our minds off of things for a while.”

Haruki nodded, him running his hands through his beard while lost in thought for a second, “It’s the one with the criminal record, correct? Some people in the precinct were talking about him at lunch today. What was his name?”

The salt and pepper haired man was the sheriff at the police station located in Shibuya, him graduating at the top of his class at the police academy when he was younger. With his job came insane hours and Cecelia rarely saw her father, so she enjoyed every moment she could have with the man. They normally avoided talking about heavy topics, but sometimes the interests of the two of them clashed together and spiked conversations, especially with the students at Shujin Academy.

“Akira Kurusu,” Cecelia said softly, her swinging off the counter. “I looked over his record with Makoto today. Before this, he seemed like a good kid. He was in the top of his class at his old school, and he had no write-ups from anyone. I almost wonder if he even did it, you know? Like he was such a good kid.”

Haruki chuckled at that, ruffling the curls of his only daughter, “You’re too kind, Lia. And I don’t know what to think, one of my coworkers looked over his file apparently. Even with all this mental shutdown business throwing everything for a loop, assault is still a very serious crime. Be on your guard, okay? You know to call me if anything goes bad, no matter what.”

“You worry too much dad, it will all be okay. Even with a criminal record, I don’t think he would be that stupid as to attack someone on school grounds, especially if his guardian is there with him. You have to be lacking some serious brain cells if you do that.” As she said this, the blue-eyed girl grabbed her school bag off of the tiled counter and moved to leave the kitchen, “I have to get ready for tomorrow, it’s a big day. Are you off?”

Haruki sighed and shook his head, the action making him look even more tired than usual. “Sadly, no. These mental shutdown cases have everyone going crazy, the station included. I’ll be gone before you wake up, you know the drill. Oh, before I forget, Akechi-kun asked about you.”

Cecelia paused, her eyebrows furrowing at the mention of “the detective prince”’s name. The two were fairly close, them meeting each other a few months ago when Cecelia stayed in the station with her dad. She found the boy pleasant but suspected there was something off with him and the way his smile never seemed to reach his eyes. She never questioned it though, she didn’t want to cross boundaries that she knew she didn’t have the right to cross, “Really? What’s up with him?”

“Nothing much, he just asked how you were doing recently. He mentioned offhand that he’s been meaning to message you when he was free so the two of you can hang out. Judging by how much time he spends at the station, I don’t think he has many friends.” Cecelia nodded, “I’ll message him tomorrow after I deal with this whole introduction and see what he’s up to.”

Haruki sighed, looking at his daughter again as she walked towards the stairs. “I know I don’t have to tell you twice, but please be careful, okay? I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know, and I love you too dad. And the same goes to you, you are in a far more dangerous situation then I am.” Stifling a yawn, Cecelia bounded upstairs into her bedroom, finding Minako curled up at the end of her bed. This earned a quiet laugh from the girl, her petting the large dog before putting her school bag on her desk, stacks of papers and her laptop covering the dark wood.

Leaving her room and stepping into the bathroom, Cecelia quickly stripped herself of her school uniform, the plaid skirt and white turtleneck falling to the cold tile that was underneath her now bare feet. In addition to the turtleneck, the blue-eyed girl wore a grey button-up over it that she left open, it being the same colour as her socks. 

After discarding her clothes to a wooden hamper that sat in the corner of the room, her quickly entering the shower that she turned on earlier. The warm water soothed the tired muscles of the girl, and it made her even more drowsy than she was to begin. After she completed her shower, the girl wrapped herself in a fluffy towel and exited the bathroom, her curls acting even wilder than they normally were.

Entering her bedroom, she quickly got changed into a pair of shorts she normally slept in and one of her father’s old sweaters, this being from his academy. It was navy blue and bore the symbol of the academy, it having ‘AKAMATSU’ on the back. After this, the girl plugged in her phone and set an alarm for 9 a.m., her knowing she'll have to be at the school by noon in order to give the transfer student a tour of the infamous Shujin Academy. Cecelia sighed as she crawled under a duvet, the soft sheets being a release for her. As the girl’s blue eyes fluttered shut, she found herself slipping into a dreamless sleep rather quickly, it overtaking her as the clock on her beside turned to 11 p.m.

\---

As Cecelia’s alarm went off she let out a groan, her rolling over to swipe to turn off the now blaring alarm. Rolling onto her back, the girl opened her eyes to stare at the white ceiling of her bedroom. Weak sunlight passed through blinds and thin curtains, stripes of yellow dancing across her ceiling. Forcing herself to sit up, the female ran her hands through her hair, letting out an exhale and looking around her dimly lit bedroom.

Suddenly flinching at the chime of her cellphone, she reached over to grab it, blue eyes blinking furiously to clear the sleep from them. The girl had multiple messages from Makoto, which she expected:

 **Makoto:** I feel like it’s only proper to thank you again, it means the world to me that you did this  
**Makoto:** I will be sure to make it up to you whenever a problem arises, and Sis says hi.

Cecelia smiled at the messages from the brunette, her typing out a reply

 **Cecelia:** there’s no need to thank me, makoto. it’s my duty, and you know you don’t have to shoulder everything. don’t worry about me, and focus on having a good day with your sister.

The black-haired girl closed out of the chat and instantly opened another one, consisting of her and the copper-haired boy that was known as the “detective prince” to mainstream media. She ended up making fun of the boy when the two were alone about his fame and title, her snorting whenever someone used the title with complete seriousness and earning a glare from the boy.

 **Akechi:** Hello, would you like to go to Inokashira Park this afternoon?

Akechi’s texts to her were always straightforward, there was no sugar coating anything when it came to him. She supposed it was that way for their relationship too, the two of them having personalities that somehow matched each other and yet clashed at the time. Cecelia was more stubborn than Akechi was, willing to stand up for herself and analyze the situation at the same time. Akechi worked more in the shadows, him making sure he had figured out every possible outcome before doing what needed to be done.

 **Cecelia:** i’d love to  
**Cecelia:** however, i have to go to shujin to introduce a new student at noon today, but after that, i’ll be free. how about we meet at my house after, and we can go from there?

Cecelia put her phone down as she stepped out of bed, ignoring the chime of her phone as she walked to her closet and pulled out her uniform. Quickly getting changed into it, she grabbed her phone again to see what the boy had said in response.

 **Akechi:** Of course. I’ll see you then.

With this Cecelia shut off her phone and placed it inside her school bag, walking into the bathroom that she normally used. Grabbing a grey ribbon from the towel rack that she tied them to, the girl put her curls into a messy bun, not caring enough to deal with them at the given moment. Tying the ribbon, the girl stepped out of the bathroom and, after grabbing her bag from her room, she walked downstairs, finding Minako asleep on the couch and a note from her dad.

_I took her for a walk this morning before I left. I love you, have a good day today. Call me if you need anything._

Smiling at the note, Cecelia slipped in into her school bag, reminding herself to put it with all the others that he has written for her over the years. After petting Minako, the female made sure to grab her keys and slip her shoes on, then opening the door and stepping outside, taking a deep breath and letting the cold April air wake her up a little bit more. After shutting and locking the door behind her, the girl started making her way through the back alleys of Yongen-Jaya to the station, not knowing that the transfer student and his guardian, Sojiro Sakura, were leaving at the exact same time she was.


	3. 02 - the transfer student and the detective prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia's introduction to the new transfer student goes about as smoothly as she thought it would, and her conversation with the local detective prince leaves her with questions.

While Shujin Academy was not the vice-president’s favourite place by a long shot, Cecelia would admit any day of the week that the desirability of her being on school grounds increased exponentially when she was one of the few people in the school. It wasn’t as if the girl had a problem with large crowds, in fact, she thrived in them, but the students at the school tended to be extremely draining for the black-haired female. By the end of the school day (and especially after student council meetings, though she wouldn’t admit it out loud) she usually ended up nursing a headache that only went away when she slept. 

Her shoes, which were boots that were similar to the ones Makoto wore, except the colour black, made little noise against the wooded hallways. Blue eyes darted back and forth, her almost subconsciously expecting the bell to ring and students to come out of classroom doors like tidal waves. 

Stopping in front of the doors to the principal’s office, Cecelia let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She was unexplainably nervous, though she wasn’t sure why. She can handle students, it is required of her due to the position she’s in, but nonetheless, her heart pounded uncomfortably in her chest. Taking one more deep breath, the girl knocked on the sliding wooden door of the office, hearing a gruff “come in” from Principal Kobayakawa.

Stepping into the office, the blue-eyed girl bowed as she felt four pairs of eyes on her, “Principal Kobayakawa, I trust that you still want me to escort the new student around?” Cecelia inwardly cringed at the professionalism in her voice, her making eye contact with the principal at Shujin Academy then Kawakami, her blue-eyed girl deducing that she must be the new student’s new teacher.

“Yes, thank you Akamatsu, you volunteering for this is beneficial for all of us,” Kobayakawa started, the girl’s face remaining emotionless as he shifted his attention to the transfer student that was standing beside her, “Kurusu, this is Cecelia Akamatsu. She is a second-year like yourself, and she is also the vice-president of the student council. She is here to give you a tour of the school so you are not lost on your first day, and you better be grateful that she’s spending her time to help you.”

Cecelia noticeably flinched at the infliction of Kobayakawa’s voice, feeling the harshness that the principal had no intention of hiding. He’s treating him like he doesn’t deserve it, is what a voice in the back of the girl’s head said, and it made her heart twinge in sympathy for the kid who was standing beside her.

Speaking of the transfer student, Cecelia turned towards him, holding out a hand for him to shake. “As Principal Kobayakawa said, I’m Cecelia Akamatsu. It’s nice to meet you..?” Her voice trailed off, her waiting for him to reply. She already knew his name from looking at his file with Makato, but she didn’t want to do anything to upset the kid, for he clearly was in a situation he did not want to be in.  
Staring at her hand for a second, the transfer student soon grasped her hand back, shaking it. He also looked up, his onyx eyes meeting her blue ones. “Akira Kurusu, it’s nice to meet you too, Akamatsu.”

With their eyes meeting, Cecelia felt something wash over her that made her eyebrows furrow slightly as she pulled her hand away. She knows him- well, she doesn’t know him, just it feels like she does, like the two cores of them know each other and work in harmony together, and they give off a sense of power. Not power in a bad way, but a sense of familiarity with each other made them feel like they were connected-

“Cecelia? Wow, your dad wasn’t lying when he said that you had grown.”

The gruff voice of Sojiro Sakura made Cecelia spin around, her eyes widening as she saw the man her father happened to be close friends with, “Sakura-san, I apologize for not noticing you were here earlier. It has been quite a while since I last came by the cafe, hasn’t it?” The man said nothing in response, only nodding slightly with a smile that the girl only saw when he was truly happy. 

Clearing her head, Cecelia turned back to Kurusu, catching the onyx eyed boy staring at her with something unreadable in his onyx eyes. He looked older than he did in the picture that his file had, black hair even messier and eyes now hidden behind black-framed glasses, it making his appearance softer to the eyes, almost as if he was trying to hide behind them. “Kurusu-kun, if it’s alright with you, would you like to see the school now?”

He almost seemed shocked that the question was directed towards him, and a twang of sympathy pierced the blue-eyed girl’s heart. He didn’t say anything in response, only nodded, which Cecelia put on a fake smile in response. “Okay, that’s good. Sakura-san, would you like to come with us? It’s not mandatory, I was just asking to see if you were interested.” As the vice-president walked towards the door, she watched the black-haired man shake his head, “I’m fine, thank you, Cecelia. I have a few more things I would like to discuss. I’ll meet the two of you at the entrance to the school.”

Cecelia nodded, her blue eyes shining ever so slightly under the lights, “That’s completely understandable, and we’ll be sure to meet you there. Now Kurusu-kun, do you want to get this started?”

\---

As the tour of Shujin Academy continued, Cecelia could see the boy visibly relax, which made Cecelia’s heart happy. She didn’t want to add to the black-haired boy’s stress, and it made her happy to see that she could help release it, even if that release was only momentary. “By the way, I want to apologize for the way that Kobayakawa talked to you. It was entirely unprofessional and completely rude if I’m being honest, and no one deserves to be talked to like that.” The black haired-girl spoke these words as the two were walking down a staircase to the main floor of the building, her looking at the boy to gauge his reaction, “I do this because I want students to feel comfortable with this school as much as possible, and it is by no means a “waste of my time” like he implied.”

Kurusu-kun’s mouth turned into the hint of a smile, him even laughing slightly at the way Cecelia phrased the apology. “There’s no need to apologize- it’s how everyone has been treating me since this whole thing started anyway.” The last part of his statement came out as more of a mumble, and it made the girl frown. Not knowing what to say, the two continued to walk down the empty hallway, the exit to school becoming closer and closer towards the two of them. Cecelia chewed the inside of her cheek as the two exited the school, them spotting Sakura-san standing at the gates and the girl could sense the annoyance radiating off of the man.

“I hope I explained everything well enough for you, Kurusu-kun. If you need anything at all I am normally in the student council room if I’m not in class, so please don’t hesitate to come and ask me anything you need.” Seeing the black-haired boy nod out of the corner of her eye, Cecelia continued, “Also, just a warning: the students here do not hesitate to gossip about matters that are not theirs, so try not to let it get to your head.” 

Stopping in front of Sakura-san, the black-haired girl offered a smile at both of them. “It was nice seeing you again, Sakura-san, and meeting you, Kurusu-kun. I’ll be sure to stop by the cafe soon to say hi.” At that Sakura-san nodded, “Please, call me Sojiro, I am past formalities with both you and your father at this point, Cecelia. And you definitely should, I miss seeing the two of you.” 

Cecelia nodded, a smile gracing her features. “Will do Sakur-Sojiro, and thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Nodding at the two males, Cecelia walked past the two of them and in the direction of the station, pulling her phone out of her bag at the same time as she walked. Unlocking it quickly, the girl opened her chatroom with Goro Akechi, quickly typing out a message.

 **Cecelia:** change of plans, why don’t you just meet me at the park? It will be easier for both of us and will save money.

\---

Akira Kurusu was silent on the drive back to LeBlanc, his hands folded in his lap as he stared out of the windshield. Off in the distance, he hears his new guardian, Sojiro Sakura, mumble something about the increasing amounts of traffic, but, if Akira was being honest, he didn’t really care that much to listen to the older man complain about something that was out of the control of the two of them.

“You’re lucky you have Cecelia to keep your head on straight there. She’ll make sure that you do everything you need to do, and stay out of trouble.”  
That statement caught the attention of the onyx eyed boy, him turning to look at his guardian with an unspoken curiosity. “How do you know Akamatsu-san?” Was the question that came out of the pale boy’s mouth, earning a chuckle from Sojiro. “Her dad and she were frequent visitors at LeBlanc when they first moved here, while her dad was still trying to figure things out. That was years ago though.” Sojiro smiled fondly at the memory. “Cecelia was barely ten at the time, and all she did was order water and read. She was- and still is- a good kid.”

After that statement, any happiness that was on the man’s face disappeared immediately, “I feel bad for the fact that she has to deal with you.”

Akira flinched at the last part of that sentence. Was that all people were doing recently? Simply “dealing with him”? It made him sigh and push his glasses further up on his nose, them reflecting the light of several cars and obstructing the view to his eyes. He had hope that the blue-eyed girl was nicer than everyone he had encountered thus far, but he didn’t know what to think. It seemed at this point he had to play with the hand he was dealt, no matter how bad it may seem.

Seeming to find nothing else to say about the topic, Sojiro turned back to the road just as the cars began moving again, the two of them staying silent for the rest of the ride back to Yongen-Jaya.

\---

“I was beginning to think that you stood me up, Cecelia.”

The statement out of the boy’s mouth startled the blue eyed-girl, her turning quickly to see the chestnut-haired boy walk towards her with a teasing grin on his face. “Please tell me what I would be doing on a Sunday afternoon besides talking to you, Akechi.” Cecelia responded, her voice having a layer of sass in it, “But, my reason for being late is because of the subway. Everything is a mess because of that conductor who had that mental shutdown, which you already knew.”

Akechi nodded, his mouth going from a grin to a straight line once again as Cecelia stopped to let him catch up to her, the two of them now walking through the park side by side. “I am simply teasing you, Akamatsu, which you knew. But I trust everything besides that went smoothly?”

Black eyebrows furrowed, since when was she back onto a last name basis with the boy? She supposes that she hasn’t really been calling him Goro, but the last time she did the boy looked noticeably upset so she decided not to push her luck any further than she wanted to go. Blue eyes stared at the boy for a minute, her trying to look for anything to give a sign of how he was doing, but he was simply a blank slate like always. “Yeah, everything went as smoothly as it could, I guess. I just simply gave the new student a tour of the school, and that was pretty much it.”

She chose not to mention the strange feeling that washed over her when she met the boy’s gaze, knowing it would just lead to more questions rather than answers. “That’s good,” said the detective prince, them sitting down together on a park bench that overlooked the lake that sat at the centre of the park. It was a cloudy day, and a breeze blew the stray curls that escaped Cecelia’s bun as she stared at the ducks that were happily swimming, “I would like to apologize for not meeting up with you sooner, you know how busy things have been getting recently.”

Akechi’s statement made her turn towards him and shake her head, a smile forming on pale pink lips, “Akechi, we’ve had this conversation so many times that I’ve lost count, and I’m sure you have too. It’s okay, I understand completely. Spring is always a busy season, and we’re just trying to navigate it the best we can.”

Cecelia’s voice was soft, her eyes darting across the brown-eyed boy’s face as he let out a weak laugh, it almost sounds like it was edging closer to a cry. “I suppose you’re right Cecelia. You always know the right things to say. Maybe this is why you’re vice-president at Shujin.” He then muttered something under his breath that the girl didn’t hear, brown eyes noticeably darkening for a split second then returning to normal. It piqued the girl’s curiosity, but she just chalked it up to a trick of the sun that was now begging to set, painting the skies in various shades of orange. She also noticed that he called her Cecelia again rather than Akamatsu, and the girl didn’t know what to think.

Whenever they talked, it seemed as if the detective prince was playing mind games with her. At the beginning of their friendship, she often ended up wondering if the boy was simply using her to get something that he wanted, but she just chalked those thoughts up to unspoken anxiety. She grew to accept that though, her reasoning with herself that it was just simply his personality- he is a detective after all, and that’s where he thrives. Shaking her head ever so slightly to clear her thoughts, she noticed that the boy was now staring at her, his facial expression unreadable. It was like he was analyzing her, trying to figure out something.

“Does my face bother you that much, Goro?” The question and the use of his first name brought him out of whatever thoughts he was in, him just laughing slightly. She noticed that he didn’t flinch at the usage of his first name this time, so she supposed she did something right in that regard. “Nothing at all. Just thinking about how Shujin was lucky to get you rather than Kosei. Seems like you’re a valuable asset for them.”

Cecelia just sighed, leaning back on the bench, “I don’t even know what to think of it all at this point. It feels like Makoto and I are doing more work than the staff sometimes, it makes me wish I accepted my dad’s offer to go to Kosei instead. It seems like there’s a lot less to worry about there.”

Kosei High was considered to be a better high school than Shujin, it being harder to get into and costing more than Shujin. When Cecelia was enrolling on a high school, she was given a choice to go to either of the schools, she picked Shujin Academy. She still isn’t sure why, and, going back, she’s not sure if she would change her choice the second time around, even with the experience she has now that comes with being a second year. “I suppose we just have to play the cards we have though. It’s not like we can change what has happened.”

This made Goro nod, him turning away to stare at the water for a brief moment, and the ducks that were swimming. There were three of them, two male and one female. One of the male ducks and the female were swimming close to each other while the third trailed behind, seemingly left out of what was going on between the pair. Goro just let out a sigh, him turning back to the girl, “It’s getting dark, would you mind accompanying me to the station?” He asked, and this caused Cecelia to let out a laugh and roll blue eyes. 

“What else am I going to do, sit here in the dark?”

\---

Once Cecelia arrived home, her phone rang, the caller ID lighting up with ‘Goro Akechi’ under his chat icon. Quickly accepting it, the girl pet Minako before walking upstairs, her father not being home yet. “Everything okay Goro?” She asked as she turned on her bedroom light, setting her bag in the same spot as she did the prior night. The only difference was that she took the note that contained her father’s scribbled handwriting and put it in a small, lidded box that held all the notes he has written for her.

“Yes, I just want to thank you for accompanying me today, even if the conversation was not the most pleasant. You just help me get my head on a little bit straighter sometimes, and I truly appreciate that.” With this the girl smiled, even though the chestnut-haired boy couldn’t see it, “It’s no problem at all, I enjoy your company, Goro.”

It was the boy’s turn to laugh, the sound making Cecelia’s smile widen. “Likewise. Now, I have to go, and you probably do too, it is quite late after all. I look forward to talking with you again.” With this Cecelia nodded, her letting out a yawn as the boy said that, “Yeah, same here. Feel free to text me whenever you wish, and I’ll see you again soon.” After the two exchanged goodbyes, the girl sat her phone on the bed and did the same routine as she did the night prior, her sliding under covers as her dog walked into the room. Patting the space at her feet, the Shiba Inu jumped up and made herself comfortable at the end of the bed, Cecelia taking the time to lie down and cover herself with the white blanket.

Setting an alarm that was earlier than yesterday’s, the girl plugged in her phone and sat it on her bedside, wrapping the blanket around herself afterwards. Soon falling asleep, a cool breeze came through the window she had opened earlier. Unbeknownst to the girl, a light blue butterfly came in with the breeze and landed on her bed, almost as if it was watching over her as she slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this part! I will try to be posting these on a daily basis, so keep your eyes peeled for more. Thank you for reading!


	4. 03 - saint xenia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Akira Kusuru goes missing, and Cecelia awakens to a new power she didn't know was possible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 2/17/21: updated cecelia's thief outfit

For Cecelia, the morning flew by faster than she could even blink. She couldn’t even remember Mr. Hiruta’s lecture in morning class, nor the question he asked Nakaoka, one of the boys who was on the track team that the school offered before it disbanded, it being disbanded by Kamoshida, the gym teacher and volleyball coach who Principal Kobayakawa has given free rein of the school due to him being an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Even though Cecelia maintains an air of professionality with the man, she personally despises him. Being the student council vice-president, the girl is very knowledgeable about the rumours that spread around the school like wildfire, and there were many to be spoken about the volleyball coach, them consisting of the fact that there is a very high possibility that he abuses the students that are on the volleyball team, and sexually harass female students that are on the volleyball team. While Cecelia was not one to believe rumours, there was too much evidence for the black-haired girl to look away, especially with the number of volleyball students who showed up to school the day after practice with bruises and bandages littering exposed skin, one member even having bandages wrapped around his eye and making the girl’s heart hurt whenever she saw him in the hallways.

Taking this into account, the girl has a small, pocket-sized notebook that she kept in her school bag. Whenever someone asks about it, she says that it consists of the information that is discussed at student council meetings, which is true. But, it also contains the name and what year the students on the volleyball team are, and if they show signs of abuse. The two main concerns that Cecelia had revolved around two students, Yuuki Mishima and Shiho Suzui, the former being in class 2-D and the latter being in the same class with Cecelia. The girl wanted to ask the two of them how they were doing school-wise, just to check in on them, but she simply didn’t know how without making it seem like there was some ulterior motive, but she simply didn’t want to see any students in pain.

Flipping through said notebook and noticing the two’s names with sloppily drawn stars by them, Cecelia let out a sigh, her blue eyes darting at the notes she had already taken. While she didn’t see Mishima very often, the bruises that littered his face and the bandages on his arms, and the fact that he was more subdued than before he joined the volleyball team. It was the same for Suzui, though she was more worried about her than Mishima. She sported the same bruises as all the other female members of the team, but it was as if she had completely given up. Her eyes were dull and emotionless and she had a tendency to zone out, and she never answered the teacher’s questions whenever she was called on.

“Is everything okay, Cecelia? You look like you have something on your mind.” Makoto’s question as she walked into the student council room with her lunch in hand broke the black-haired girl out of her thoughts, her dog-earring the page in her notebook and closing it. Shaking her head, the girl replied, “Yes, everything is fine. I’m just thinking about the volleyball rally tomorrow and that we still need to finish planning it.” Getting out her own lunch as she said this, she opened the light grey box, having leftover sushi from dinner a couple of nights ago.

“Yes, that. It seems like everything has been happening so fast as of recently.” As Makoto sat across from the girl, her ruby eyes stared at the black-haired girl, her opening her own container of food. “Are you still up for talking to Mr. Kamoshida after school regarding the time that he wants the teacher’s game to be held? We have everything else planned, which you already know.” The president pulled out her planner from her bag and flipped it open to April 13th. Cecelia bit into a piece of sushi as the two looked over the planner, her nodding. Right as the black-haired girl was about to speak, the door to the student council room opened and in walked Kawakami, a scowl apparent on her face.

The two members gave a glance at each other as the sweater-clad woman walked into the room, Makoto being the first to speak up, “What brings you here, Ms. Kawakami? Do you need our assistance with anything? If it’s about the volleyball tournament, we will be relaying that information with Principal Kobayakawa as soon as he gets here tomorrow morning.”

The brown-haired woman sighed, her looking in between the two student council members. “It’s not about the volleyball tournament, I could honestly care less about it. And I’m sorry to bother the two of you, and it’s rather annoying, but I suppose this is what I get for being his homeroom teacher,” Kawaki mumbled the last part of the sentence, “Akamatsu-san, by any chance have you seen Kurusu-kun?”

Cecelia furrowed her brows, her thinking as she swallowed another piece of lukewarm sushi. “I haven’t, I assumed he was in class. Is everything okay?” Dread filled the girl’s stomach when she saw Kawakami sigh and pinch the bridge of her nose, her mumbling an “of course” and then quickly gaining her composure. “He hasn’t shown up at all today. When I contacted his guardian about it, he said that he left for school this morning at a normal time. I came to you because, since you are the one who gave him the tour of the school yesterday, he might’ve been more comfortable with you, but clearly, that’s not the case.”

Cecelia frowned and looked at Makoto, who was eating her lunch and writing in her planner at the same time, her Bushimaru-kun pencil case on the table beside her. Kawakami sighed again, her looking even more tired than the girl normally saw her. “If you do see him, please tell him to come and find me, okay? This is one whole giant mess, and I want it to be over as soon as possible.”

The black-haired girl nodded, her making eye contact with the tired teacher. “I will Ms. Kawakami. I will also tell you directly, just in case things go awry when he does get here. Thank you for letting me know, and I hope you enjoy your lunch, and I’m sorry that this has caused you so much trouble.” With this Kawakami gave a stressed sort of smile, her turning around and leaving the student-council room as quietly as she came in.

  
After she left, Cecelia sighed and slumped into the wooden chair, taking a bite of the last piece of the sushi in the container. Makoto then shut her planner and returned her pen to her pencil case, her then placing these things and her empty container into her bag, her looking at the vice-president with sympathy flashing in her eyes, “I’ll keep an eye peeled as well, just in case he somehow ends up with the third years.” Cecelia nodded, smiling at the brunette as she closed her container. “Thank you Makoto, this transfer student is worrying me. I just want to make sure that he’s okay and he didn’t get arrested or something again. And, to answer your question earlier, I will go ask Kamoshida about the match after school.”

Makoto nodded, smiling in return. “Thank you very much, Cecelia, you continue to amaze me.” Cecelia just nodded, making sure to place her notebook at the top of her bag. Pulling out her phone, she frowned at a bright red app that was on her home screen, the black eye that was depicted on it. This app had been appearing on her phone constantly for the past week, it reappearing even if she deleted it. Sighing and just shutting her phone off again, the girl placed it face down on the table that was made out of artificial wood, and turned her attention back to the student council president, asking a question that she meant to ask at the start of lunch.

“Of course, I truly don’t mind. How was spending the day with your sister?”

\---

The rest of the day passed, the only thing worth recalling was that in fact, Kurusu-kun did eventually end up showing after lunch, Kawakami finding the vice-president to tell her the news. When Cecelia asked if he gave any reasoning for showing up late, the teacher just sighed, her shaking her head. “It was just one of those generic answers they always give,” Kawakami started, “and he was with Sakamoto-kun, so who knows what that boy convinced him to do.”

Ryuji Sakamoto was known as the trouble-maker of the second year students, him being extremely loud and supposedly being the reason as to why the track team disbanded. With bright blonde hair, the boy was quite to miss, and he was also in the vice-presidents class, him not paying attention to any of the lectures and being on his phone for the large majority of the time. With this, the girl just nodded, the conversation between the two of them ending with a “great, thank you for letting me know” and the two going their separate ways.

Despite her needing to track down Kamoshida, Cecelia left the school first, hoping to grab one of the drinks that was located in the vending machines in the front of the school. She left her school bag in the student council room, for it was being watched by Makoto while she was in there. Only having her phone and her wallet, the girl inserted some yen coins into the vending machine, pressing the button for one of the peach-flavoured drinks that had caffeine in it, hoping to wake herself up a bit before she had to talk to the gym teacher.

Unbeknownst to her, the app that the girl stared at while at lunch somehow managed to turn itself on, distorting the world around her. After getting the drink from the machine, Cecelia stood up straight, furrowing her brows when she realized that the sky had somehow turned a blood red. Opening the drink, the girl shrugged it off as her being tired and a storm coming, drinking it as she walked back to the school, hoping to end her time at the school as quickly as possible. However, all of her thoughts quickly left her head as the scene in front of her made her stop and drop her drink in shock, the only thing that left her mouth being, “what the hell?”

What was in front of her wasn’t Shujin Academy, even though the gates read the name of the school. Instead of the school, it was a large castle with a moat around it, the gates opening to a wooden drawbridge being suspended by ropes. The castle itself was made out of what looked like tan brick to the girl, a wall surrounding the castle just after the drawbridge. Bushes lined the top of the walls and a banner was hanging off the right-hand sign of it, her closing her eyes and shaking her head.

 _This has to be some kind of weird fever dream,_ was the rationale the girl tried to give herself, her shoving down the pure, raw panic that threatened to paralyze her to her spot. Grabbing one of the stray curls that was left out of her half-up, half-down hairstyle, the girl tried to take a deep breath to calm herself and slow down the pounding of her heart against her ribcage. Instead of turning around and trying to go home, the girl instead took fast-paced steps towards the castle, the wood of the drawbridge making little noise. Why was she doing this? It was not, by any means of the word, safe, and it went against any rational though the girl had.

As she crossed the drawbridge, Cecelia checked her phone, hoping to shoot someone a message to explain what was going on. Finding out she had no service, the girl tried to calm her panic, that panic turning to confusion when she saw the display that took up her screen. “Guiding you to...Kamoshida’s castle?” The girl mumbled, her tapping on the screen when it tried to turn itself off.

What was this place? And what did Kamoshida have to do with it? So many questions swirled in the girl’s head, a headache beginning to form at the base of her skull. Despite all this, the girl continued on, her ignoring a small voice that was screaming at her to just _leave_. To get out of here before things got any weirder or they turned for the worse. Trying to clear her head, Cecelia continued on, stopping when she entered the castle.

The floor of the main room was in a checkerboard-like style, her stopping on a circular red rug. A twin staircase stood tall on either side of the girl, her not being able to see what was at the top of them. White pillars held golden candle holders, each one of these alight with two red candles on it. Cecelia began to move once again to explore more of the castle, her freezing in her place and eyes going wide with panic when she heard a gruff “STOP!” and the clang of armour.

Two men (well, she wasn’t sure if they were men at all, but she was in too much of a panicked state to care about their classification at this point) apparently had spotted her and moved towards her, they dressed in armoured knights outfit and each of them holding a sword and a shield. However, instead of their faces, cyan masks sat, and, from what Cecelia saw, there was nothing underneath them, at least nothing that resembled a human. Freaking out at this, the girl’s adrenaline kicked in, and she did what she would probably consider the most stupid and irrational thing she’s done in a while.

She ran.

Breaking into a sprint, the girl’s black curls flew behind her as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her, her trying to ignore the cry of the guards from either side of her and the clang of their armour. Almost at the entrance, the girl sped up a little more, the drawbridge appearing closer and closer. She was almost there, she was almost safe, and she could make it-

At least, that’s what she thought until two guards suddenly appeared out of piles of what looked like ooze in front of her and she slammed head first into them, her ending up being knocked backwards and landing on her butt and getting all the wind knocked out of her and she landed with a squeak leaving her mouth. As the guards surrounded her, the girl realized that fighting anything was pointless, and she squeezed blue eyes shut as she fought the urge to cry, her hoping that her death would at least be quick-

She was then picked up by two guards grabbing her by each arm and lifting her up off the ground, her eyes opening them as one of the guards, this one dressed in a golden uniform, studied her, the two guards holding her tight as she attempted to flair. “Is this the one that King Kamoshida wants?” That was what the guard holding her left arm asked, and the guard in the golden uniform nodded, “judging by her appearance alone, I believe so. Let us go and bring her to the king to get his opinion and what to do next.”

Bring her to the king? King Kamoshida? Panic filled her chest as the girl shook her head wildly and thrashed her body, her trying to escape from their hold with no avail. Finally giving up a minute into her struggle, tears filled the girl’s blue eyes and eventually ended up falling down her face, her blinking rapidly to try to get rid of them, her eventually just ending up squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to calm herself even the tiniest bit. If she was going to escape, she needed a clear head.

Cecelia opened her eyes when the guards stopped, her taking a minute to look around her. She was in what she would assume to be a throne room, a red carpet lined with gold going straight to the back of the room. Busts of women dressed in only white tee shirts and red underwear stood on each side of the room, them positioned so that the butts of the statues were facing towards the centre of the room. This made the girl’s stomach churn, her wanting to either pass out or throw up from it all.

“King Kamoshida, is this the one you want? We found her in the entryway.” The question from a guard behind her caused the girl to turn her head to the main presence in the room. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man, her blue eyes hardening at the appearance of him.

Suguru Kamoshida was by no means an attractive man, his curly black hair and rectangle shaped chin making Cecelia wonder what some of the girls at Shujin truly saw in him. But this made her even more disgusted in him, taking his “regal attire”. His brown eyes were now a bright gold and a crown sat on top of his head, him being dressed in a robe that had a fluffy white collar and pink and red hearts decorating it.

“Yes, I was wondering why most of you left so suddenly. Bring her to me, then release her.” After moving his arm, blue eyes saw that Kamoshida was wearing nothing but a bright pink speedo, and that made her want to throw up even more. Cecelia was brought to the gold lined, red staircase that went up to where Kamoshida was sitting, the two guards dropping her and her landing harshly on her feet and stumbling a bit. As the girl regained her balance, she locked eyes with the golden-eyed Kamoshida, a smirk appearing on his face. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for you. Remove her shirts.”

Cecelia’s eyes widened as she shook her head, she was fully panicking now. Hyperventilating, the girl spun to watch as the guards moved closer towards her, swords pointing at her. “Don’t touch me, you bastards!” She yelled, earning a laugh from Kamoshida. The guards continued to move closer, and all Cecelia could do was struggle as her grey button-up fell at her feet, all Cecelia could do next was squeeze her eyes shut and let out a sob, her hearing a “stop” from Kamoshida.

“Hand me your sword. I want to do this.” The statement that left Kamoshida’s mouth made her blood turn cold, her eyes opening. He was directly in front of her, his golden eyes watching her shaking form. After being handed a sword from one of his guards, Kamoshida began to cut away at Cecelia’s turtleneck, her fully sobbing at this point.

Once the now cut in half turtleneck fell at her feet, Cecelia was pushed towards Kamoshida by one of the guards, who was holding out his arms to catch her. Hyperventilating, all the girl could do was watch gold eyes roam her body, calloused hands rubbing over now exposed skin. She was still dressed in the plaid skirt, thank god, but only a grey sports bra covered her chest from the gym teacher, him releasing her and taking in the sight. “Akamatsu, you’ve always been an interesting one. You play a good act, with that whole emotionless face shit, but I know you’re more than that.”

With a quick movement, Kamoshida was behind her, and he removed the gold ribbon from her hair, black curls falling from their previous position. “The me in the other world has always wanted to tie you up and have you begging for mercy, but this is still a pretty damn good view.” Cecelia gasped as the man spun her around, him lifting her chin up and moving a black curl from her face. “In fact, he always wondered what it would be like to break you, torment you until there was nothing left of you. Oh, you would feel so good around him, crying his name.”

With this Cecelia pulled herself from his grasp, backing up a couple of steps “Don’t touch me, you fucker.” She growled out, her blue eyes alight with anger.

Kamoshida just tilted his head to the side at the girl’s anger, “You really think you can get out of this?. Guards! Bring her to my room and tie her up. We have a game to play.” As the guards moved forward, Cecelia realized it was useless. She had no power in this situation, and it was hopeless to fight.

_Are you sure about that, young one?_

A voice in Cecelia’s head, much older than her spoke, and blue flames appeared around the girl, stopping the guards in their tracks. “What the hell is this?!” Kamoshida cried, him backing up from the heat.

_There’s no need to hide who you are anymore, my dear. Aren’t you tired of faking?_

With the next question, the girl was rolling on the floor and gripping her head, her eyes a bright gold. She was sobbing from the pain and drool was coming out of her mouth, her writhing. “..Yes.” That was what Cecelia said in response once the pain subsided, her beginning to pick herself up off the floor.

_I knew it. Now, let us form a pact, so you never betray yourself again. I am thou, and thou art I..._

As the voice said this, Cecelia picked herself up off the floor, a mask appearing on her face. The edges were shaped like butterfly wings, and it covered the girl’s eyes and nose. The mask itself was a pale grey with golden accents, covering around the girl’s eyes. Various other lines of gold were etched onto the mask, and the girl reached up to grab the edge of it.

_And I, at this point forward, will show the world my true self, no matter the cost!_

At this, Cecelia ripped the mask off, her being engulfed in blue flames. The rest of her Shujin Uniform was replaced by an off the shoulder white button-up shirt, it being tucked into a dark blue skirt that had golden, holographic stars on it. A dark grey cloak was held onto her by a clip that had two crescent moons on her neck, the hood of the cloak behind her and it covering her arms. Dark grey tights adorned her legs, and black heeled ankle boots covered her feet. Noticing a heavyweight on her hip, the vice-president looked down and noticed a black sword belt on her hip, it sheathing a claymore with a leather handle. Looking down again, the girl noticed a small handgun in her boot, her blinking to comprehend the situation.

“Saint Xenia!”

In the flames, her persona emerged. Saint Xenia was a woman with pale grey skin, she was clothed with a white, long-sleeved blouse that was covered with a dark red gown, gold sandals adorning her feet. She had long white hair, and on her head sat a circlet that had a cross that sat on her forehead. Her eyes had no pupils, and golden teardrops were etched beneath each eye. Her lips were a dark red, the same colour as her dress, her hands, which held many golden rings, were held in a prayer-like position in front of her chest.

With the cry of her name, the persona opened her hands, and a bright yellow light shot out from them, disintegrating the guards and knocking Kamoshida to the side. Cecelia stepped forward, her mask now on her face. With the guards now gone and Kamoshida momentarily stunned, the girl took a second to catch her breath and look out her outfit.

_Run, my child. We haven’t a moment to spare._

Saint Xenia’s voice made Cecelia nod, her breaking into a run. Feeling the movement, Cecelia now realized there was a sword at her hip and a gun tucked into her boot, her continuing to run nonetheless. After bursting out of the throne room, the girl was encountered with more guards, her just grabbing her mask and screaming Xenia’s name once again. Xenia disintegrated them with the same light from earlier and continued running, not stopping until she was on the other end of the drawbridge. Looking at the purple light below her at the edge of the island and then turning to see the guards running behind her, Cecelia jumped, finding her gold ribbon in her hand and squeezing blue eyes shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the later update guys! I wanted to do a lot of research on Cecelia's persona, and the designs of said persona and outfit, and then my computer was having lots of technical issues. The next chapter should come out earlier, but thank you for reading! You're support makes me happy, and I hope you're enjoying this so far!


	5. 04 - of sinners and saints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia begins to ask around about Kamoshida after encountering his palace and learns more about Saint Xenia.

When Cecelia opened her eyes, she found herself in front of the normal Shujin Academy, still having students pouring out of the open gates like a tidal wave just off of the shore. Checking the time on her phone, the vice-president noticed that no time had passed from when the girl originally left the school and entered the castle, her breathing a sigh of relief at that. It was one thing for her to have experienced whatever the hell just happened to her, but it would be a completely different struggle for her to explain where she was and why she didn’t talk to Kamoshida.

Speaking of, the girl’s face twisted in disgust with her recalling the encounter she had with the “other Kamoshida”, her getting lost in thought as she walked into the school for the third time today. Her school uniform was still intact and she still had all of her belongings, the only difference is that the girl’s golden ribbon that she used to tie up her hair was in an iron-clad grip, her hand hurting when she opened it to stare at it. With that, the girl knew that the events that had happened in that other world were real, and, as if on queue, Saint Xenia’s voice echoed in the blue-eyed girl’s head.

_Everything you have experienced thus far has been real, my child. You are not imagining things, and everything is unravelling like it needs to. You have awakened to your true self like you needed to ages ago._

Cecelia walked through the hallways as she digested this, placing her wallet and her phone into the pocket of her grey button-up so she could secure the ribbon in her hair once again. Questions were swirling around the head of the girl, but the only one that managed to leave her mouth was, “what happens next?”

_You will meet teammates, and they will explain things to you better than I can. They will be very useful, so make sure to cherish them._

Teammates? Does that mean that there are other people who have obtained the same powers as her? Xenia’s answers gave the girl even more questions to ponder over, and she could feel a headache forming. Massaging her temples, the girl noticed that Xenia’s presence was not as apparent in her head as she had been previously, so she took this as the Saint not wanting to answer any more of the girl’s questions. Cecelia quickly walked down the hallways, her wanting to get the next task over it as quickly as possible.

Knocking on the door of the P.E. office, Cecelia’s blood ran cold as she heard the gym teacher’s voice telling her to come in. She could still feel the hands of the “other” Kamoshida on her sides, and hear his voice taunting her. If she was being honest, it made the girl want to throw up and stay as far away from the teacher as much as possible, but she was not going to hide anymore. She was going to be true to herself with every step forward, that is why Xenia is now a part of her, after all. While the girl was still very confused about everything that had happened, she knew she could trust the voice, it giving her the strength and power to leave Kamoshida’s Palace in one piece. That reminded her, she wanted to check the library for something, her seeing a book that she is sure that would help her moving forward.

Stepping into the office, Cecelia left the door open behind her, making it an easy exit just in case things went extremely wrong extremely fast. She knew that she probably shouldn’t feel this way, but anxiety threatened to take over the rational side of her brain if she didn’t at least give herself at least one handicap. “Ah, Akamatsu. What a pleasant surprise” was what the gym teacher said at the black-haired girl appearing in his vision. Cecelia also noticed his eyes take in the girl’s body, and it took every ounce of willpower the girl had to not punch him in the face for looking at her like that.

“Mr. Kamoshida, I am here on behalf of Makoto and the rest of the student council. As you know, we are the ones that are planning the volleyball rally in two days time, and we wanted to get your input on what time would be best for you for the staff’s volleyball game.” Whenever the girl had to talk to Kamoshida, she went completely emotionless, her not wanting the gym teacher any extra reason to talk to her. She has found that, in the past, it has annoyed the gym teacher, and that alone gave Cecelia an unspoken satisfaction.”Ah yes, that. Whatever time is available is fine with me.” The gym teacher replied, watching the girl shift her weight to her left leg and cross her arms over her chest, “Are you participating? If so, I can offer you some...coaching tomorrow to help you get ready.”

Cecelia quickly shook her head, noticing the predatory gleam that appeared in the teacher’s eyes. “I am not participating, Makoto and I are going to be watching a few of the games and then making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. We are the ones who are running the whole event, so we don’t have the time to participate. Thank you for the offer.” The smile that was Kamoshida’s face quickly fell, him sighing. “That is truly a shame. You would be beneficial for us. You can schedule the match after lunch.”

With this Cecelia nodded, her emotionless facade not cracking in the slightest. “We can make that work, thank you for the input. Makoto is currently working on finalizing the schedule, then she is going to give it to Principal Kobayaykawa to give to everyone else tomorrow morning. If you have any questions about it, please get in contact with her.” At this Kamoshida turned back towards his desk, the girl taking the opportunity to turn around and quickly leave the office, her travelling from the athletic building back to the main building of the school.

Quickly arriving in the library, Cecelia smiled at the student who was behind the desk, the glasses-wearing girl greeting her in return. “What can I do for you, Akamatsu-chan?” She asked the vice-president as she walked up to the main desk, feeling the stares of multiple students on her back as she replied to the girl, “Do you, by any chance, happen to have a book on Saint Xenia? Mr. Inui recently talked about her in class and I recall seeing a book about her being in here.” The part about the history teacher bringing up the Saint was a lie, but Cecelia didn’t what else to say to answer the question as to why the black-haired girl was interested in the woman. “I believe so, let me check.” Was what the librarian said in response, Cecelia nodding and stepping aside so she could exit from behind the counter and walk over to the shelves.

It was a couple of minutes later when the girl returned, her holding a book in her hands. “Is this the one you saw?” She asked, handing the vice-president it after she returned to the other side of the counter. The title of the book was “Of Sinners and Saints”, and on the cover depicted the woman that appeared when Cecelia was in the castle. Cecelia nodded, smiling at the librarian once again, “yes, thank you very much.” She replied, blue eyes lighting up with happiness. “Of course, come back when you’re finished with it.” Was what the librarian said, a smile on her face. The black-haired girl nodded in response, her leaving the library as quietly as she came in.

What was different, however, was her running into a certain loud, blonde-haired boy, him stopping in his tracks and brown eyes instantly widening, “Ah, shit. Akamatsu-san, ‘m sorry.” Was what he said, and Cecelia just smiled in response. “You’re completely fine, Sakamoto-kun.” Feeling a pair of eyes on her, the vice-president turned her head to see the glasses-clad transfer student staring at her, an emotionless expression on his face. Holding her newly acquired book in one of her hands, the girl smoothed down her uniform, “I trust that you two are going to the library to study?” The girl asked, her mouth quirking up into a smirk as she saw the blonde-haired boy panic for a brief moment. She also saw a humorous light dance in Kurusu-kun’s eyes, a small smile appearing on his face.

Before the blonde-haired boy could respond, Cecelia answered her own question. “I’m only joking. Judging by your performance in class, I would like to assume that you don’t care all that much.” Turning to Kurusu-kun, the next question left her lips without much of thought behind them, “Since you haven’t come to me with any questions, I assume everything is going okay?” The frizzy-haired boy responded with a nod, and with that, the corners of the girl’s mouth turned up into a gentle smile. “I’m glad. Let me know if you need anything, okay?” Receiving another nod, Cecelia turned her attention to the two of the boys, her blue-eyes taking in the appearances of both of them. “Now, I have to go, and I don’t want to intrude on the two of you anymore. It was nice talking to both of you, and I hope you two have a nice night.” With that, Cecelia left the two boys, making her way to the student council room.

\---

“Man, I thought for sure she was gonna give us shit.” Was what Ryuji said to Akira, him just blinking at the blonde with confusion shining in his onyx eyes, “y’know, for being late to school? I have her in my homeroom, and she always seems to know when something’s off.” Akira just shrugged, the two of them walking side by side once again.

“I think she’s nice. She introduced the school to me yesterday.” Was what Akira said, and Ryuji slumped his shoulders. “Man, you really don’t get it, do you?” Was what the blonde-haired boy mumbled at first, him saying his next statement louder. “No matter how nice she may seem, she’s still on the student-council. She’s less of a hard-ass than the other members, but we still can’t trust her- especially since with all the shit revolving around Kamoshida. Got it?”

At this Akira just nodded, him sighing. He felt as if the girl was different from the rest of the students- he could just feel something different around her. When first meeting the girl, he felt a strange sense of security wash over him, like she should be trusted. It seemed as if she was genuine and just wanted to help people, and Akira respected that. After all, him helping someone is the reason that he was in this mess, to begin with.

\---

After relaying the information to Makoto and grabbing her school bag, Cecelia soon returned home, surprised at seeing her dad sitting on the couch and watching television, him dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt rather than his uniform. “Welcome home, Lia. How was school?” He asked as the girl slid off her shoes and sat beside him, her crossing her legs under her. “It was alright, same old, same old. I didn’t expect you to be home this early.”

Haruki laughed, the sound echoing around the room and making the blue-eyed girl smile. “Yeah, they let me off early today, saying that they were fine without me. They mentioned you too, saying that they wanted to make sure that I was spending time with you.” Cecelia shifted so that she was leaning into her dad’s side, him wrapping an arm around her and kissing the top of her forehead. “I love you, dad.” She mumbled, letting out a yawn. She didn’t realize how tired she truly was until she sat down, her deducing it must be from her encounter with the palace that happened this afternoon. Quickly drifting off to sleep in her dad’s embrace, the girl heard her father say, “I love you too, Lia,” before sleep overtook her.

When Cecelia awoke, her father walking into the living room, him smiling as he noticed his blue-eyed daughter woke up. “Good, I was just about to wake you up. Do you want to head to LeBlanc for dinner? It’s still open, and I wanted to pay Sojiro a visit.”

Cecelia nodded, fully awake at this point. “Yeah, just let me get changed and then we can go. Can we walk Minako after?” At the sound of her name, the Shiba Inu perked up from the dog bed that was by the TV, her tail wagging slightly at the mention of her going for a walk. When her father nodded, Cecelia stood up and grabbed her school bag, her quickly bounding upstairs. Quickly changing out of her school uniform and into a jean skirt with a white sweater and switching her shoes to black high-top sneakers, the girl grabbed her purse and walked downstairs, her meeting her dad at the door. 

The two quickly exited the house, Haruki locking the door behind his daughter. The walk to LeBlanc was quick, Sojiro looking up at the two of them when they entered the cafe. “It’s good to see you two, the regular?” Haruki nodded and Cecelia smiled, the fact that Sojiro remembered their orders even though they haven’t been here in a bit made her happy. Sitting in a booth across from her father, he smiled at his daughter and rested his hands on the table. “How was work today?” Cecelia asked, her playing with one of her stray curls.

“It was good. Most of my men are out trying to figure out how to get the subway up and running, so the station is pretty devoid of life at the moment. Everything is running as smoothly as it possibly can right now, given the situation.” Haruki stopped talking when Sojiro placed food in front of them, the two looking up at the older man. “Thank you, Sojiro. This looks great.” Cecelia said, her father nodding in agreement, “she stole the words right out of my mouth, but thank you.” Sojiro rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at the two family members, especially at the black-haired girl who had just placed a spoonful of curry into her mouth. “Of course, you guys are welcome here whenever you wish.”

At that moment, the bell that was on the door of LeBlanc rung, and the three inhabitants of the room turned towards the sound. In came Akira Kurusu, Cecelia and Haruki turning back to their food and Sojiro sighing and walking back behind the counter. “You finally made it. Once you get settled in, I need you to wash dishes.” Out of the corner of her eye, the girl saw the boy nod and walk past the two, him taking the stairs up towards the attic. 

\---

Akira was surprised that his guardian didn’t instantly chew him out for not showing up for school this morning, but even more surprised to see the vice-president of Shujin Academy eating with what he presumed to be her father. He swore that he could see surprise flicker in the blue-eyes of the girl also, but he just shrugged it off. 

Quickly getting changed, the boy walked back downstairs to the cafe, him sighing and get out the necessities for him to do dishes. Out of all the options he had, this wasn’t the most favourable, but he supposed it was meant to be some sort of punishment from Sojiro. As he washed dishes, the heard the laughter between the two customers of the cafe, his mouth involuntarily turning into a smile when he heard the girl’s laugh. However, the next question that left Cecelia’s mouth made his smile disappear completely, him finishing drying the last dish as it started.

“Hey, dad?” Akira heard the girl ask, a different inflexion in her voice that the boy was used to hearing. She almost sounded...on edge, her almost sounding like she was in pain. “Yes, Lia?” Lia. He hadn’t thought of the girl having a nickname, but the boy thought it suited her, him drying his hands as he waited for the question to leave the girl’s mouth.

“What do you think of Kamoshida?”

Akira’s eyes widened in shock, him nearly dropping the dishrag. Walking up to the counter to place in it’s designated spot, he glanced at the black-haired girl and her father for a second before doing so.

“He’s an...interesting man. When I met him, I didn’t like the way he looked at you or the way he kept pestering you to join the volleyball team even though you said no. Is this regarding the rumours you keep mentioning?” He watched Cecelia nod, her taking a couple of seconds to think before responding. “Yeah. There’s just something off about him. I’m worried about the members of the volleyball team, and I’m also certain that the reason the track team disbanded was more than Sakamoto-kun hitting him.”

Cecelia’s father sighed, him offering a smile to his daughter. “I know, Lia. Just try to keep your head down, I don’t want you to bring any negative attention to yourself, especially from someone like him. From the way you described it, he has a lot of power, so just keep yourself out of trouble.” Cecelia nodded, Akira noticing how her black curls bounced with action. “I know, and I am. I’m just more on edge recently.” A sigh left the girls mouth, her quickly picking herself up. “Why don’t we take Minako on that walk now?”

The two then stood up, Cecelia grabbing her purse. Blue-eyes turned to him, and Akira felt that same sense of safety wash over him, relaxing his tensed muscles. “Kurusu-kun, do you mind telling Sojiro thank you for us? We also put our money in the dish.” Akira nodded, a smile forming on his face. “Will do,” was what he replied with, and the smile on the girl’s face mirrored his own. “Thank you, and have a nice night. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

And with that, the two left the cafe, Akira left with the sound of the coffee machines and his thoughts.

\---

After their walk with Minako, Cecelia wished her father goodnight and quickly took a shower, this time dressing in a pair of blue pyjama pants and a short sleeve tee-shirt. After plugging her phone in, the black-haired girl grabbed her newly acquired book out of her school bag and her journal, her opening the journal to write about all the experiences of the day. She normally didn’t do this, but today she felt as if she needed to, in order to get it out of her.

After doing that, the girl opened “Of Sinners and Saints” and began to read, propping herself up with pillows as Minako jumped on the bed and laid down in her normal spot.

_“Xenia of Rome is not the saint’s first name- her original name was Eusebia. Saint Xenia was the only daughter of a wealthy Roman senator, and she left Rome with two of her servants to escape an arranged marriage. She ended up in the city of Milas on the island of Kos, and here she was given the name Xenia, meaning stranger. Of her, that is written says that she "helped everyone: for the destitute, she was a benefactress; for the grief-stricken, a comforter; for sinners, a guide to repentance. She possessed a deep humility, accounting herself the worst and most sinful of all." She is said to have foreseen her own death.”_

After reading this, it clicked to Cecelia as to why the Saint picked her. She had to guess it was because of her desire to help people, and try to bring them back on the right track no matter how lost they may seem. With this thought the girl closed the book and sat it on her bedside, her getting ready for bed. Setting her alarm and turning off her lamp, the girl pulled the covers up around her and drifted off to sleep, the exhaustion of the day knocking her out quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter wasn't as eventful; I want to get some things in place before I dive headfirst into the story. I hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless, and I promise the next chapters will be more story-filled. I hoped you enjoyed the information about Xenia too, I wanted to give the reasoning for Cecelia having her as a persona and I found her very fascinating that I wanted to include it. Thank you for reading!


	6. 05 - volleyball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cecelia has another weird encounter with Akira Kurusu, a volleyball match takes a turn for the worse, and she makes a decision that she cannot turn back from.

April 12th was an extremely uneventful day for Cecelia. The only thing that was worth noting was the student-council meeting that took place after school, and even then, it was all stuff about the volleyball rally that the vice-president already knew. The girl stayed and took notes anyway, her doodling a poorly-drawn cat at the top of her page next to the date, it making her laugh slightly to herself.

But, that day was soon behind the black-haired girl, and it was now the day the girl was not necessarily looking forward to. Quickly getting dressed into her uniform and making sure her gym clothes were packed, the girl arrived at school and entered the student council room, finding Makoto already there, dressed in her uniform and sitting on the grey couch that was by the trophy case. “Everything okay?” Cecelia asked, the ruby-eyed girl looking up and her lips turning into a smile. “Yes, just waiting for everything to start. Would you like for me to wait outside while you get changed? I’m sure the locker room is packed right now.”

The black-haired girl nodded, and the president left the room, her shutting the door behind her. She didn’t go far though, Cecelia seeing the brown hair of the girl covering the window just in case. Quickly changing her uniform into the red and white joggers and matching shirt, the girl slipped on her sneakers and walked to open the door behind the president, Makoto turning around and smiling at her. 

At the exact same time, Akira Kurusu walked out of the library, a book in hand. He looked unimpressed but was still dressed in his gym uniform, him also wearing the jacket. Blue-eyes met onyx and the girl staggered a bit as she felt that same wave of _something_ wash over again, Makoto catching the girl just before she fell and Cecelia grasping her head. Blue eyes squeezed shut at the sudden onslaught of noise, her hearing laughter from a deep male voice. When she opened her eyes, she found both the student council president and the glasses-wearing student staring at her, concern in both pairs of eyes. “I’m fine.” She said with a weak smile, her face noticeably paler.

_I’ve never seen this type of power before. I didn’t know it would affect you like this, my child. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. Also, keep an eye on him. He will be beneficial in the future._

The Saint’s voice helped the girl recover, almost as if she was giving Cecelia some sort of magic to heal her of her condition. “Cecelia, are you sure you’re alright?” Makoto asked, and Kurusu-kun watched the blue-eyed girl nod, her eyes still unfocused. “Yeah. Just didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m a little lightheaded. No need to worry about me Makoto, let’s get this day over with.”

\---

Akira knew the statement about the girl getting little sleep was a lie, him feeling the same dull ache in his head. While he didn’t have the same reaction to his eyes locking with the girl, he felt the same type of sensation wash over him, even if he didn’t know why the girl reacted to him like that.

He also felt Arsene, his newly acquired persona, chuckle in the back of his head, making the Shujin student frown. Besides at his awakening, the gentleman thief had said nothing to the boy, him only appearing when the boy gripped his mask and begged for the persona to come forth so he could eliminate shadows by exploiting their weakness. _I should ask Morgana,_ was what the black-haired boy thought, thinking of the cat-like creature that he released from entrapment in Kamoshida’s Palace. He didn’t know what to think of the creature, especially his attitude towards him and Ryuji, but the creature offered information that Akira couldn’t find anywhere else, so he supposes that he was stuck with him.

“Kurusu-kun, do you need anything?” The voice of the student-council president pulled him from his thoughts. He shook his head, glancing at the vice-president who was now retreating behind the brunette, him watching her curls bounce slightly. “No, I just want to make sure Akamatsu-san is alright.” He said softly, him almost feeling intimidated by the way red-eyes of the president bore into his onyx. The brunette looked at him cautiously for a second, trying to read the true meaning behind his concern. Sighing, the student council president just nodded. “I see. She will be fine, she just needs to sit down for a moment. Now, I have to ask you to make your way to the gym, that is where you’re meant to be since the first match will be starting soon.”

Akira nodded, a frown appearing on his face from the dismissive tone of the brunette. Turning away from the student-council room, the boy made his way to the gym, him finding Ryuji Sakamoto waiting for him at the entrance of the gym.

“Dude, where the hell were ya? I was beginnin’ to think ya ditched again.” Ryuji had a playful tone and a sparkle in his brown eyes, but all of that soon disappeared when he saw the expression on Akira’s face. “Let’s go find some seats, and then I’ll tell you,” was all the boy said at the blonde’s unspoken question, him quickly finding a spot on the floor that was somewhat away from the rest of the student body that were waiting for the first volleyball game to start.

“You’re telling me she just collapsed? I dunno man, it may just be fatigue kicking her ass.” Ryuji said after Akira explained the morning’s events to the boy. “I mean, she looks fine now.” He added, the two looking at the blue-eyed girl who had just entered the gym, her lips set in a straight line. “I don’t believe it was fatigue Ryuji. Plus, the way Arsene reacted is odd. I didn’t even know he could talk outside of the metaverse, so this has to be something special.” Ryuji didn’t reply, him instead staring at Ann Takamaki, the blonde-haired girl who sat in front of Akira during class. 

\---

After reassuring Makoto that she was fine to be doing her duties for what seemed like the fiftieth time, Cecelia made her way towards the gym. She felt much better, and she supposed she had Xenia to thank for that, but a dull headache still persisted. Speaking of, the girl could still feel the presence of the Saint in the back of her head, her not saying anything but still being there, almost as if she was silently protecting the girl. 

Entering the gym, Cecelia stood with her arms folded over her chest at the entrance, her eyes not straying from the volleyball game. Kamoshida's team was winning, though that came as no surprise to the black-haired girl. Despite all the rumours and the fact that the vice-president truly despised the man, she had to admit that he was truly good at the sport. She watched as he was passed the ball by one of his teammates, and, with a smirk, he spiked it over the net-

**WHAM!**

The sound of the volleyball colliding with Yuuki Mishima's face and the sound of his body hitting the floor from the impact spurred the girl into action, her breaking into a run to reach the blue-haired boy. Stopping in front of him, Cecelia's eyes were wide with panic as all noise stopped, everyone staring at the vice-president awaken the poor boy. 

"Mishima-kun? It's Akamatsu-san. Do you think you can stand?" The girl asked, her trying to keep her voice steady. With a groan, the boy sat up and clutched at his now bleeding nose, him turning to look at the black-haired girl with a dazed expression in his eyes. When he didn't reply Cecelia sighed, her standing up from the position she was in previously and holding out a hand for the boy. After he took it, Cecelia used all of her strength to lift the boy to his feet, him stumbling slightly.

With everyone in the gym staring at the two, including Akira Kurusu and Ryuji Sakamoto, Cecelia helped Mishima out of the gym, one of the students that the girl didn't know the name of opening the door for her. Nodding at the student, Cecelia kept an arm around the boy's shoulders as they left the gym, him still being somewhat dazed and holding his bleeding nose. 

"Shit," Ryuji mumbled to Akira, who was staring at the door where the two had just left from. "Maybe she is different then I thought." 

Cecelia heard none of this though, her instead finding a wide-eyed Makoto running towards her, the girl taking the boy's other side and asking, "what happened?" 

"Kamoshida spiked the ball and it hit I'm directly in the face. I'm sure the fucker did it on purpose too, he's too good at that damn sport to do it on accident." If Makoto took in the girl's swearing, she didn't say anything, only nodding. As the two walked the boy to the nurse's office, Cecelia noticed that he had lost consciousness again, this making her anxiety spike. When the two entered the nurse's office, the girl's assisted in the nurse of placing the boy onto one of the cots that were by the door, the two student council members looking at each other as the black-haired girl tried to slow her heartbeat. 

"Why don't you go get changed while I watch over him?" Makoto suggested softly, seeing the girl's discomfort. Before the girl could even begin to argue, Makoto continued, "Cecelia, please. I can handle this, and you have blood on your uniform. You don't have to do this alone."

At this Cecelia just nodded, her leaving the nurse's office without another word. The volleyball game just ended, her noticing this by the number of students that were leaving the gym. Speeding up her pace to beat the crowd, the black-haired girl's curls bounced as she briskly walked back to the student council office, her opening the door and quickly closing it behind her. Grabbing her phone out of her bag and placing her uniform on the table, the vice-president unlocked it, her dialling a number and praying the person she was calling would answer. 

"Cecelia, you never call me while school is in. Is everything okay?" The detective prince's voice made the girl instantly relax. Hearing the sounds of students around him, Cecelia had to assume that Goro Akechi was leaning against one of the walls at Kosei High. Placing the phone on the table and putting it on speaker, the girl quickly removed her shirt, noticing the large bloodstain on the front of it. After shrugging on the turtleneck of Shujin Academy, the girl responded, her removing her sneakers as she did so. "Not really. It's been a hell of a time over here Goro."

The girl could hear the boy chuckle slightly, him going silent a moment. Even over the line, he was trying to read the girl just by the sound of her voice. "Talk to me." Was all he said, his voice coming through cold and serious. As she pulled on her plaid skirt and button-up the girl explained the situation, her grabbing her socks and boots and sitting down on the black couch and moving the phone to the cushion beside her. After she was done, the boy was silent for a moment, her almost imagining his eyebrows furrowing as he digested everything the girl said.

"My, that does sound like quite the predicament. How come you always get yourself into these things, Cecelia?" His voice was full of fake pleasantness, almost as if he was trying to hide his true emotions from the black-haired girl. "I wish I knew, Goro. It's almost as if bad luck follows me." Cecelia said with a hollow laugh as she tied her shoes.

"Are you okay? Physically I mean." Goro asked as the girl stood up from the couch and shoved her bloodstained gym uniform in her bag. Taking the boy off of speakerphone, the girl nodded, even though the detective prince couldn't see it. "Physically, I'm fine. I'm also sorry for calling you so suddenly, I just freaked and you're the first one I thought of to talk to." 

Goro laughed, it being a genuine one. She could imagine the brown eyes of the boy shimmering in either delight or amusement, her hearing the smile on the boy's voice as he said the next lines. "You're perfectly fine, Cecelia. In fact, I find it quite pleasant that you wish to rely on me like this." There was something in his voice that Cecilia couldn't figure out, almost like it was...adoration? 

"Now don't let it get to your head, Mr Detective Prince." Cecelia teased, her finding herself completely calmed down now. "But in all seriousness, thank you." Her voice was soft, soft than the boy has ever heard it before. It made him involuntary smile, him internally kicking himself for feeling this way. 

"You're welcome. I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I have to get to class." Cecelia nodded, her being in her student council mode once again. "Of course, I probably should get back to Makoto. Thank you again." 

After the two exchanged their good-byes, the girl hung up and placed her phone in her bag, taking out her leather-covered journal. With it in hand, she left the student council room, instantly hearing the voice of Ryuji Sakamoto and sending a wave of pain to her head. "It isn't fucking fair! He acts like he's the king of this damn school, and I'm sick of it." 

Hearing the word "king" leave the boy's mouth, Cecelia's attention was instantly captivated, her following the sound of it to find the blonde-haired boy and, in turn, Kurusu-kun. "You know, if you're going to badmouth Kamoshida, I would suggest doing in a little quieter, considered since there are teachers present."

Ryuji jumped at the sound of the vice-president's voice, Kurusu-kun instantly turning his attention the black-haired girl. "Shit. Didn't realize you were here. Are you going to give us shit about it to the teachers?" The panic in Sakamoto-kun's voice made Cecelia shake her head, and, opening her mouth to say something, she paused for a second. 

Was it the right choice to trust these two boys? Sakamoto-kun was a well-known troublemaker who wasn't sneaky in the slightest, was it right to trust him with the knowledge that could basically ruin her whole school career? She wasn't sure if she could trust Kurusu-kun either, her not knowing the glasses-wearing boy well enough to judge his character fully. 

_Trust them. Don't fake who you are anymore. Show the world what you're made of._

With that being Cecelia's thought, she looked in between the two boys, knowing that there was no going back from what she was about to say. "Why would I rat you out, if I want to take down Kamoshida as much as you do?" She asked softly, toeing the ground with her boots. She watched as Kurusu-kun's eyes widened underneath his glasses, a "for real?" leaving Sakamoto-kun's mouth. 

She nodded and walked closer to the boys, opening her journal to a specific page that she has read over many times. Keeping her voice low, the vice-president continued. "Now, you're not allowed to tell anyone of my involvement, but here's a list of everyone that is on the volleyball team as of right now. I don't know how much information you are going to get out of them due to Kamoshida's grip on them, but just try." Pushing the journal into Kurusu-kun's hands, the girl quickly left the two in shock boys to their own devices, her making her way to the nurse's office for the second time that day. 

She arrived just as Makoto was stepping out of it, her looking at the brunette with unspoken questions between the two. "He woke up right after you left. The nurse is dealing with his injuries, and she said that the reason he is so dazed is due to a concussion. I tried asking him about it, but he is very shaken up, so I didn't want to pry." 

Cecelia nodded, her falling in step with the president. "Yeah, that's what I thought would happen. Thank you for doing that." She said, and Makoto just smiled softly in response. Soon, all happiness left the brunette's face, the two of them leaving the building as she said the next words. "I wish we could do more, but we're just stuck. It hurts seeing students in pain, and I know you feel the same thing." 

The vice-president sighed, her playing with a stray curl as the two walked back into the main building. Her mind flashed back to the two boys and her shoving the journal into Kurusu-kun's hands, and any doubt that appeared in Cecelia vanished. "I know. But we've done all that we can, and all we can do is hold on." 

\---

The school day ended without another incident, and after Cecelia went home to get changed and throw her bloodstained gym uniform in the wash with some stain remover, she quickly travelled to the underground mall on Shibuya to work. 

She worked at the flower shop that was located in the mall, her liking it more than she thought it would. Placing her purse underneath the counter and quickly putting on one of the green aprons, the girl got to work preparing orders and making bouquets, her reading a book on flowers when she first got this job in order to be better at it. 

Being with flowers helped put the day's events in the back of her head, along with everything that has happened with Kamoshida, the castle, and Saint Xenia. Cecelia still didn't have any of the answers she needed nor was she any closer to getting them, but she just focused on the flowers in front of her instead of worrying about that. 

In fact, she only allowed herself to think when her boss was looking at her with kindness in her eyes, Cecelia tilting her head in a silent question. Turning her head towards the entrance of the shop, Cecelia directed her attention towards the detective prince that was standing at the counter, him still dressed in his Kosei uniform. 

"When you didn't answer your phone, I naturally assumed you were here," Goro explained as Cecelia walked towards him, him already answering the question that was about to leave her mouth. "Would you like to come over to my apartment for dinner? I feel like we both need to decompress." 

This is when Cecelia spoke, a smile on her face. "I'd love to." Turning to her boss, she asked the next question, her voice drifting off since she didn't know how to phrase it in a professional sounding way. "Do you mind if I…?" 

Her boss laughed and shook her head, eyes shining at the interactions between the two highschool students. "Not at all, Cecelia. You did excellent work, as always. Here is your pay for today, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your night." 

After untying and removing the green aprons, Cecelia accepted her pay, grabbing her purse from under the counter and placing the yen inside her wallet. Smiling at the Goro, the two walked off to catch the next train, the black-haired girl waving goodbye to her boss. 

\---

At the attic at LeBlanc, Akira Kurusu sat down on his bed, the leather journal of Cecelia Akamatsu in his hands. Their investigation of the volleyball members turned out to be a bust, the only information the two of them getting is that apparently Mishima had been receiving "special coaching" from Kamoshida. 

At this point, it was late night time, and Akira had returned from the bathhouse, him wearing the shirt and sweatpants he slept in. Laying on his bed and holding the journal in his hands, Akira couldn't help but think back to the encounter him and Akamatsu-san had this morning. There was something different about her, and he knew it, especially with the way his persona reacted to his presence. 

Speaking of personas, the black-haired bot didn't get a chance to ask Morgana about any of the events that transpired, him and Ryuji both being too tired to deal with shadows or any of the dangers that came with Kamoshida's Palace today. He did though, end up with am onslaught of questions from Ryuji after the encounter with Akamatsu-san this afternoon, his phone buzzing almost as if the loud boy knew he was thinking about him 

**Ryuji:** Yo, today was fucking weird.

Akira just rolled his eyes at the text message, him placing the journal next to his pillow and unlocking his phone to type out a reply to the boy. 

**Akira:** You got that right.

**Ryuji:** What I find the most confusing is Akamatsu's willing to help us   
**Ryuji:** I mean yeah, I knew she was a less of a hard-ass than the others, but this made me rethink a lot of things about her

Akira stared at his phone, unsure what to type. It seemed that the vice-president would be an important part of his life moving forward, and especially since the reactions the two had on each other. 

**Akira:** She was probably waiting for the right time to speak up  
 **Akira:** She is in a position where there are eyes on her every second, so it's not like she could do much without people being suspicious.

He then thought back to his encounter with her at LeBlanc, her asking her dad about the gym teacher in question. It was almost as if she had been waiting for the right moment all along, and everything was soon going to change. 

**Ryuji:** Yeah, I guess. It's just all fucking weird.  
 **Ryuji:** Anyways, I'm gonna head to bed, been a long day. Night. 

Akira's mouth quirked up into a smile at Ryuji's messages, the blonde always seeming to have a one-track mind. 

**Akira:** Night

With that, the boy turned his phone off and plugged it in, shutting his eyes and allowing sleep to overtake him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading, this chapter was really fun to write. The next chapter should be even better than this one, so I'm excited to show it to y'all. Thank you for reading and the support thus far, it means the world to me! I appreciate each and every one of you guys.


	7. 06 - play your cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia realizes the detective prince knows exactly what to say to leave her speechless, and Goro realizes that the black-haired girl is smarter than she lets on.

Goro Akechi was an interesting character. He had an ability Cecelia didn’t and that was to be able to read almost anyone’s true intentions at the drop of a hat. He was able to push feelings aside and focus on achieving his true goal, which the black-haired girl had yet to figure out. He was able to pick up weak points in an argument and twist it against someone, his brown-eyes still shining with that fake pleasantness. The only thing about that pleasantness, though, is that only Cecelia knew it was fake. After knowing the chestnut-haired boy for about half a year, the vice-president recognized darkness looming behind the carefully crafted “charismatic detective prince” facade, her not even needing Saint Xenia to tell her that he was a crucial part in this game that she was now playing.

Speaking of, the Saint was more present in the back of her mind, her soothing the headache that had been forming all day due to the events that had transpired. The grey-skinned Saint said nothing to the girl, and she wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse. Questions still spun in the girl’s head, her not sure if she would ever get the answer to them. That frustrated the girl, and she chewed on the inside of her cheek. She still had an insatiable curiosity to explore the rest of the castle, but she didn’t want to necessarily take risks that she couldn’t afford to come back from. What would happen if she got hurt severely? Or the guards captured her again? Those all had outcomes that she didn’t even want to imagine.

Feeling a pair of eyes on her, the girl shifted as much as she could in the subway car to notice the detective prince staring at her, something unreadable shining in his eyes. Unlike Cecelia, he had a metal bar to hold onto, while the girl just put all of her weight into her legs and feet and hoped she didn’t fall over or into an unforgiving passenger. Smiling at the detective, the blue-eyed girl asked, “is my face that pretty, Goro?” The teasing tone in her voice pulled the boy out of whatever trance-like state he was in, smiling at the girl. Before he could reply, the train lurched, Cecelia stumbling as the movement made her lose her footing. Before she could fall, however, a hand wearing a black glove grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him, to the point that they were flush against each other, the girl feeling the boy’s heartbeat steadily in his chest. “Careful,” Cecelia heard Goro mumble in her ear, it made her shiver slightly. She tried to move away from him, but there were too many people entering the subway car for her to find an empty space. “You’re playing with fire, my dear.” He said as he moved a stray curl away from her face, chuckling at how the girl’s face flushed bright crimson.

Cecelia was speechless, her trying to come up with some snarky reply but her thoughts being too incomprehensible. She could still feel the detective’s hand on her waist, and his breath on her neck. His metal briefcase was on the floor by the two’s feet, it only shifting slightly when the train moved. Fanning her face, the girl tried to slow down her racing heart and cool the blush that had lit up her cheeks and nose. Shifting slightly so she was facing the prince, Cecelia observed the smug expression on his face and the fact that he almost looked proud of what he had managed to do. 

_Don’t trust him, my child. He is trying to sway you with meaningless words. He wants to use you for his goals. He has more power than you think he does._

Saint Xenia’s voice broke the girl from the state that Goro had managed to get her in. _And I suppose you can’t tell me what’s going on?_ Cecelia replied back in her head, trying to bite back the annoyance that was fighting to fill her tone. 

_Everything will be revealed in due time. Keep your head on straight._

\---

As the two walked to Goro’s apartment, Cecelia tried to forget the fact that the detective prince’s hand was on her waist and that he had managed to be mere inches from her and play with her emotions so much. She was also confused to no end as to why, now of all times, Xenia picked to say her second cryptic message of the day. First with Kurusu-kun this morning and the reaction that he caused her and now Goro, the girl didn’t even know what to think. Instead, she just glanced at the detective prince as the two walked up the stairs to his apartment, him pulling a ring of keys from his pocket. “You look awfully smug,” Cecelia stated, noticing the smirk that had been permanently engraved onto his face ever since the subway.

“What can I say? It takes a lot to make you speechless.” Was what Goro replied, a laugh coming after, “in fact, you play your cards so well it makes me wonder if you know exactly what to do to push buttons.” Cecelia frowned as the detective unlocked the door to his apartment. 

The apartment was spotless like it always was the handful of times Cecelia has come over. It was a rather expensive apartment too, with dark wood floors and top of the line appliances and all leather furniture. Sometimes the girl wondered if the boy got paid enough from him being a detective to pay for this and his school tuition, her knowing that Kosei isn’t necessarily the cheapest school. In fact, that’s one of the reasons Cecelia didn’t want to go, her not wanting to cause her dad unnecessarily stress financially. Speaking of, the girl’s phone chimed, it being her father asking where she was. Typing a reply saying that she was with Goro, the girl asked her next question, not knowing if she would even get a straight answer from the boy that had discarded his jacket and gloves, leaving him only in the shirt and tie that showed he was a student at Kosei.

“Push buttons? You act like I’m just trying to win some sort of game.” The black-haired girl paused, the cogs in her head-turning. “That’s your thing Goro.” She added softly, the two falling in a routine that had only happened a handful of times before this. “It may be, but you also do it subconsciously. I can see it in those blue eyes of yours. Every time you weigh the options and decide which is better, you’re making a move. It’s truly fascinating to watch, you play with more strategy than I thought you would.” Cecelia frowned as she filled up a pot with water and Goro got a box of spaghetti from the cupboard above him. “And I take it, by your reaction, that you’ve never thought about it that way, no?”

Sighing, Cecelia turned on the stove, placing the pot on the now lit burner. This is the first time he’s openly said what he thinks about when he’s stared at the curly-haired girl. “You’re good at manipulation,” was what the girl said in response, making the boy raise an eyebrow. He was leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. He was currently watching the girl walk around the kitchen and pull out a jar of sauce, her also grabbing another pot. “Is that so?” He asked with a smile, the girl nodding and continuing the statement. “You always have a goal in mind, and you want people to help you obtain it. You try to figure out people’s strengths and see if they will be beneficial to you. You’re only playing the cards you want to, making you appear the way you want to be shown. That’s why your whole detective prince act is so popular because it shows a strength most people don’t have-ah shit.”

The black-haired girl’s tangent stopped when the sauce she was pouring into the pot somehow landed on her white sweater, the girl sighing and Goro letting out a laugh, him moving to assist the girl. “You’ve hit the nail on the head, my dear. But, I’ll ask you this, what is my goal?” At this Cecelia just stopped in her tracks, watching the boy place the other pot on the burner across from the now boiling water, “I don’t know,” she admitted, her following the boy when he gestured for her to. “I’ve been trying to figure it out for quite some time now, but none of it makes sense logically.” She said, walking into the boy’s bedroom with him. She sat down on his bed that was covered with a black duvet, watching him open his closet and pull out a white button-up and throw it at the girl, her catching it.

“Good, it’s better that way.” He said, and with that, the conversation was ended by him, him almost silently daring her to continue this train of thought. “That’s for you to wear, spaghetti sauce isn’t exactly the most flattering on you.” He made his way to the door, him turning back to the girl with a wink, “though there isn’t much that doesn’t flatter you.” And with that, he shut the door, leaving the girl with a blush forming on her face for the second time that night.

\---

 _Damnit,_ Goro Akechi thought, him clenching his jaw. The girl was smarter than he thought, her connecting things together faster than he thought she would. It was almost as if she taunted him, the way she managed to toy with his heart so easily and figure him out at the same time, so why not return the favour? It wasn’t easy to manipulate Cecelia, and he knew it, so why not play his cards so he could get the reactions he wanted out of her? 

The incident at the subway was a blind stroke of luck, he’ll admit. It was almost like something bigger than the two of them was playing in his favour, letting him have the upper hand in the exchange between the two. He had to admit, he loved watching the girl get embarrassed, and by him no less. It made emotions that he tried to force down come back even stronger, and he wondered the cons for letting himself on such a sweet one. He began to fantasize at this thought, him wondering what it would be like to hold the black-haired girl, to make her his and only his. He smiled at the thought of more nights like these, but instead of the back-and-forth between the two, nights ended with the two of them on the couch and her in his arms, her dressed in nothing but his shirt and him seeing all the ways that he could make the girl squirm, her saying his name in that way he loved hearing and leaning up to kiss-

“Goro?”

At the sound of Cecelia’s voice, Goro Akechi broke himself out of his fantasies and wished them away, shoving those emotions into a locked box at the back of his head. Not looking up from the spaghetti, the detective hummed in response, knowing that the girl would read it as a queue to speak and say what she needed to. The two were excellent at toying with each other’s emotions, but the difference between the two is how the two used their skills. Cecelia is a more empathetic person, her stating in conversations multiple times that she only wants to help people, and the evidence for that is when she called him on the verge of a breakdown because some stupid idiot got hit in the face with a volleyball. Goro, as the black-haired girl had said just minutes ago, used people to achieve what he wanted, though, he was only a pawn in a much bigger scheme. Thinking about it, the boy let out a sigh. Another reason why he liked Cecelia around is it made him forget about the whole scheme he was apart of, her letting him be a normal teenager, well, as normal as he could be.

“I left my sweater in your room because I didn’t know what to do with it, is that okay?”

Turning off the burner and turning to the girl, the chestnut-haired boy’s breath hitched in his throat. Didn’t she know how irresistible she was to him? The shirt was obviously big on her, the sleeves covering her hands completely. She had tucked the shirt into her skirt and fastened it with a belt that he didn’t realize she had on, her trying to make it look like it was intentional and not because of an accident. Smiling, Akechi walked over to the girl, him silently offering to roll the girl’s sleeves up. “That’s more than fine, Cecelia.” He said as the girl offered her arm, him unbuttoning the cuff and successfully rolling one sleeve up so it was just below her elbow. He also did the same with the other one, then stepped back to look at the girl one more time who was looking at him with curiosity in her blue-eyes.

She always stood out to him, even when the two didn’t know each other. It was completely coincidental, the two of them meeting. She had just happened to be with her father, the chief of police, at the same time Goro needed to ask him for evidence. He could still remember her father, Haruki Akamatsu, introducing the two of them to each other, him feeling Cecelia’s eyes bore into him even after he had greeted the girl. She knew how to push buttons, especially his, and he loved her for it.

\---

Dinner was eaten at the dining room table that Cecelia wondered if he even used other than when she was over. Jazz music played softly from a radio that was on the kitchen island, Cecelia just smiling at it. When the black-haired girl first learned that jazz music was the preference of the detective, she teased him relentlessly for it, telling him it was “old people music” even though when Goro offered to change it, she refused. She enjoyed learning about the boy, even though sometimes it was so she could tease him and earn an eye roll as a prize.

Smiling at the memory, the girl finished her spaghetti, the detective prince already finishing a minute ago. The two were sitting across from each other at a square table, the detective prince staring at her. “Are you reading me again, Goro?” She asked as she stood up and grabbed both of their bowls, placing them on the counter next to sink. Doing this, she let out a yawn, her not realizing how tired she was until the world wasn’t collapsing around her and she could allow herself to switch out of “vice-president of the student council mode”. Goro nodded at the question, him watching as the girl sat back in her seat. 

“So, are you going to tell me?” She asked out of curiosity, her placing her arms on the table and leaning against the table. Goro had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes when he said the next question, “I don’t know, why should I?” Cecelia just rolled her eyes, her pulling her phone and glancing at it. “You’re insufferable.” Was what she said before frowning at the screen, noticing the time. The subway was going to shut down soon, and she needed to get home before that happened so that she could make sure she had everything ready for tomorrow. Thankfully, tomorrow was Thursday, so she and Makoto spent the morning class in the student council room, it being approved by Kobayakawa when it was suggested by Makoto. The two used it to plan things most of the time, but there were rare occurrences where the girls just used it to study if there wasn’t anything going on.

“I suppose it’s that time of night again. Would you like me to walk you to the subway?” Goro asked, and Cecelia nodded. “Please.”

\---

It was a cold April night, and at this point, Cecelia was missing her sweater. At the cold breeze, the girl realized that she had, in fact, left said sweater in the bedroom of Goro Akechi, the boy watching her wrap her arms around herself to try to maintain some of her body warmth. “You really have bad luck when it comes to these things, Cecelia,” Goro said as he shrugged off his tan jacket and placed it on the girl’s shoulders. The blue-eyed quickly placed her arms into it and wrapped it around herself, her holding her purse. “Eh, I feel like it depends on the situation. Normally I don’t stain two shirts on the same day, but apparently it just wasn’t my day today.” She said softly, noticing the frown on the boy’s face, “Is everything okay? Did I keep you out too late?”

At the questions Goro pulled himself out of his thoughts, noticing the girl’s concern. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, just a case that I completely forgot about until now.” Smiling at the girl did nothing to qualm the thoughts that were now running around the girl’s head, her just offering a weak smile back. “It seems like everything is spinning out of control so fast,” Cecelia admitted. Goro nodded, brown eyes completely devoid of emotion. The two then arrived at the stop, her noticing that there were significantly fewer people than this afternoon. Smiling at the boy, Cecelia brushed a stray curl out of her face. “Thank you for today Goro, it was needed.” Starting to shrug off the jacket, Goro placed his hand on her shoulder. “Keep it, I have four others.” Noticing the girl’s confused expression, he explained. “I have gotten numerous stolen from my “beloved fans”, so I have extras.”

Cecelia nodded, her rolling her eyes at the mention of the boy’s popularity. “I’m surprised they didn’t try to kill me for hanging out with you today.” She said, and the boy’s expression darkened. “They wouldn’t dare,” he mumbled, Cecelia’s eyes widening at the protectiveness and anger that was now radiating off of him. Noticing the girl’s expression, the facade was back, him being back to the pleasant detective prince. “It’s probably because of the weather. No one likes being out on cloudy days.” The blue-eyed girl nodded, her chewing the inside of her cheek. Hearing the subway, she smiled at the boy. “Thank you again, I enjoy our time spent together, even if it’s us mostly trying to get the upper hand on each other.”

Goro Akechi laughed at that, him smiling back at the girl. “You are very welcome, Cecelia. I enjoy spending the time with you, you’re truly something special. I hope you have a nice day tomorrow.” Cecelia nodded, her turning around and entering the train. After it pulled away, Akechi noticed his phone was ringing, the smile on his face turning into a frown as he answered it.

“What do you want?” He said, his voice laced with venom as he left the subway. Brown eyes widened at something on the other end of the line. “How did you….nevermind, I should know you’re not below stalking.” He practically spat the word out, his pleasant demeanour completely gone. “She will not stray me away from our goal, now please don’t call me unless it’s needed again.” He said, quickly hanging up. Sighing, he began the walk back to his apartment as the city was lit up around him, him being illuminated under the yellow of street lamps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting last night, I had a really rough day yesterday and then I had to go to court this morning so I didn't want to stay up writing and have this chapter turn out not how I wanted it. I hope you enjoyed it now though, and another will also be coming out tonight to make up for me not posting yesterday. I wanted to go more in-depth with Goro and Cecelia's relationship and wanted to write in Goro's perspective. I personally imagine Goro as a very soft boy despite his facade, and I wanted to write it and build on the relationship between the two high-schoolers. I hope you enjoyed it again, and thank you for reading! Your support means the world to me.


	8. 07 - blood red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia has a heart to heart talk with Makoto Niijima about the detective prince then saves a girl's life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter has attempted suicide in it, along with the mention of blood. Please read at your own discretion.

“Good morning Cecelia,” Makoto said as the vice-president walked into the student council room, her yawning behind her hand. “Good morning,” Cecelia replied, still half asleep. As the girl sat her school bag on one of the table’s, Makoto’s eyebrows furrowed. “Is that...a new jacket? It looks familiar, yet I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Huh? Oh.” Cecelia looked down to see the tan jacket over her school uniform, it being the same one Goro gave her last night. She felt sort of bad for still having it and wearing it, but she was running late this morning and despite it being mid-April, the mornings were seeming like they were getting colder, rather than warmer. “One of my friends gave it to me last night when we were walking to the station, and they told me that I could keep it. It just so happened to be the first jacket I grabbed this morning.” The black-haired girl said this with a sheepish smile, hoping the girl wouldn’t pry any more into the matter. Makoto just nodded and the girl breathed a sigh of relief, her sitting down in the chair across from the president and pulling out her books and pencil pouch, her hoping to get some notes done so that she had less to worry about after school. She also wanted to talk to Mishima-kun and Suzui-san; she still hasn’t found the time to talk to them about Kamoshida and if they were doing alright, both physically and mentally.

Speaking of Kamoshida, she wondered how Kurusu-kun and Sakamoto-kun did on their “investigation” that happened yesterday. She hadn’t stuck around the school long enough to track down either one of them, so she hoped it went okay and they were at least able to get some information, and that her information helped them some. She also wanted her journal back, her not having it giving her an unspoken sense of anxiety that it somehow got into the wrong hands and that she would be screwed. Sighing, the blue-eyed girl just focused on her notes, and the only sound that filled the student council room was pages flipping, pencils scratching, and the occasional clicking of pens. Cecelia thought of it this way: if either one of the two boys had done something stupid and had their entire operation blown, it would’ve already been traced back to her and that would have immediate effects that would’ve happened by now.

“Hey Cecelia,” Makoto started as the blue-eyed girl looked up. “Does that friend who gave you the jacket happen to be Goro Akechi?” At this question, Cecelia’s eyes widened as she somehow managed to choke on her saliva, bringing up her arm to cover her mouth. Pulling out her water bottle from her bag, the black-haired girl opened it and drank some, trying to regain her breath. “Shit, Makoto. You can’t pull that out of nowhere,” Cecelia said to the brown-haired girl, who had the hint of a smile on her face. “But, yes, it is Goro’s. I was at his apartment last night.” 

“I knew it. Sis and I were out last night and we saw him with someone like you, but I just wanted to make sure,” Makoto explained, Cecelia nodding at the president’s explanation. “You look awfully happy about that, Makoto,” Cecelia said, checking the time on her phone. The red app that was named as ‘Metaverse’ also looked at her and she stared back, resisting the urge to go into the castle once again. _The risks are too heavy_ is what she kept telling herself, her not wanting to encounter the worst-case scenario. 

“It’s more Sis is happy about it, to be honest. She worries that he spends all of his time working, it can’t be good for him.” The black-haired girl nodded again, the two student council members starting to pack up. She thought about telling the president about what had happened between the two also, her mentally debating the pros and cons. _Ah, fuck it,_ Cecelia thought, her looking at the brunette, mentally preparing herself for the reaction that she was about to get, “Hey Makoto? What I’m about to say you can’t tell anyone, alright?” As she told the stories about the encounters with the detective prince, she gauged the president’s reaction to the whole thing. After finishing her stories, Makoto tilted her head to the side slightly as she digested everything, a quaint smile growing on her face.

“My, it sounds like you had an interesting day yesterday,” Was what Makoto started with, Cecelia just looking at her with an incredulous look on her face. “Do you want my honest opinion?” She asked, and Cecelia nodded, her waiting for the president to say what’s on her mind. “I think you should just wait and see. I don’t know much of anything when it comes to relationships due to a lot of factors, and I know you’re the same way, so just wait it out. Akechi-kun is a very confusing boy, and you know that more than me.”

Cecelia nodded, her noting the sudden changes in the boy’s mood. It worried her occasionally, repressing feelings is not a healthy way to do things. “However, I do want you to keep me updated. If I’m being honest, it feels rather...fun to talk about these things with you.” A smile grew on the two student council members' faces, Cecelia just bursting into laughter from the way Makoto discussed the topic so seriously as the bell rang.

\---

“Takamaki-san, Suzui-san? I’m sorry to bother your lunch, but do you mind if I talk to you both for a second?” Cecelia asked, looking between the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl and the bruised face of her best friend. Ann Takamaki gave her a questioning look, the vice-president not knowing if the girl trusted her, let alone liked her. “Sure, what’s the matter Akamatsu-san?” Suzui-san asked, the soft voice of the girl making her heart hurt.

“I just want to apologize to both of you, for what Kamoshida has put you through. You don’t have to say anything or admit to anything that might get the two of you in trouble, but I just want to say that I’m sorry that he has hurt both of you physically and mentally,” Cecelia said, noticing both girls flinch at the name of the gym teacher, it making the blue-eyed girl want to cry. “I am currently doing as much as I can to get him fired at the very least, and my father, who you may know as the chief of the police, is looking into it for me. I just want to apologize again, both of you don’t deserve that.”

Cecelia watched as the two girls digested what the girl said, Takamaki-san’s blue eyes going glassy. However, what made the girl hurt, even more, is watching Shiho Suzui burst into tears, sobs making her bruised body shake as she lowered her head. Takamaki-san’s eyes widened, her just mumbling, “Shiho,” and pulling the girl into a hug. As Takamaki-san rested her head on the girl’s shoulder, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop stray tears that were falling down her face. Pulling out a pack of tissues from her school bag, Cecelia handed them to the pair of girls, Suzui-san taking them and pulling away from the hug. With shaky hands, the girl opened them and handed one to her best friend, the girl using it to wipe her face and blow her nose. 

Once the two girls had calmed down, they looked at the vice-president again, who was looking at the pair with so much pain shimmering in her blue eyes. “Thank you,” is what Takamaki-san started with, “thank you for trying. At least someone is doing something in this damn school.” She said, sniffling as her eyes filled up with tears again.

\---

Goro Akechi’s jacket was wrapped tightly around her as the girl walked through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya. If Cecelia Akamatsu had to pick one emotion to describe how she was feeling, she wasn’t sure which one she would pick. Anger perhaps? That one was the closest to how she was feeling, her wanting to punch Kamoshida square in the face for hurting so many students. Chewing the inside of her cheek, all Cecelia could do was resist the urge to break down then and there, nearly running into Akira Kurusu on her walk home.

“Kurusu-kun. Considering since you didn’t come and find me yesterday, I take it no one talked that much about Kamoshida?” The vice-president’s voice was cold and emotionless, it almost startling the glasses-wearing boy. The boy shook his head, Cecelia sighing. “Only one that talked mentioned something about Mishima getting special coaching, but when Ryuji and I asked him about it, he just froze on us.” The boy’s voice was smooth, and this is pretty sure the most the black-haired girl had ever heard him talk. “Here, thank you for letting us use it.” Holding out the journal, Cecelia took it, the corner of her lips turning into the faintest hint of a smile. “Thank you Kurusu-kun- do you have a cat in your bag?”

Seeing a pair of blue eyes staring at the vice-president, Cecelia spoke before she could even think about what she was saying. Kurusu-kun’s eyes went wide, him chuckling slightly. “Uh, yeah. His name is Morgana. He’s a stray.” Cecelia nodded, her blue-eyes lighting up with delight. “That’s oddly, cute. May I see him?” The frizzy-haired boy nodded, him pulling the cat out of his bag, hearing the cat...talk?

“Put me down, frizzy-hair! And I am not a cat!” Was what Morgana said, him letting out various cries of protest as the boy picked him up. Cecelia’s eyes went wide, her just staring at it in shock. _Calm down, Lia. It’s just a cat. You’re just tired and stressed._ The blue-eyed girl kept repeating that in her head, wondering if she’s gone insane at this point. Petting the black body of the cat, Cecelia smiled at the cat purring, the sound calming the girl. “Thank you, Kurusu-kun.” She said, bowing at the second-year, who rubbed the back of his neck after placing Morgana back into his bag. “You’re welcome, Akamatsu-san. Have a nice night.”

\---

It was April 15th, and Cecelia was currently delivering papers to the faculty office, Makoto not being able to do it since it was a mock-entrance exam day for her. Cecelia didn’t mind, she truly didn’t want to listen to Mr. Ushimaru drone on about something and then throw a piece of chalk at an unsuspecting kid. However, everything shifted when she saw Suzui-san leave the girl’s bathroom, not walking back in the direction of their classroom.

After running the papers to the faculty office, Cecelia quickly threw her bag into an empty classroom, her hearing it slides across the floor. Not paying it any mind, the girl retraced her steps to where she saw Suzui-san before, something in her gut telling her something was wrong. Deciding the only way that the volleyball member could’ve gone was up, Cecelia took the steps two at a time, it all clicking as soon as the girl passed the floor that had the third-year’s classes on it. The black-haired girl's eyes were wide and she sped up her pace, her busting open the doors to the rooftop and looking for the girl. Spotting the girl, Cecelia quickly ran up to the other side of the fence, shouting the girl’s name to grab her attention.

“Suzui-san!” 

With wide eyes, the volleyball member turned to see the vice-president, tears falling from the brown eyes of the girl. “Akamatsu-san? What are you doing here?” She asked, her voice shaking. “Can’t you see I just want to be left alone?” She asked softly, her crying more. Cecelia shook her head, “That’s not happening, Shiho.” She said, the wind whipping her hair back and tugging the grey ribbon from her hair. After quickly analyzing every single option the girl had, the vice-president’s adrenaline kicked in and, after backing up to give herself a running start, the girl jumped onto the chain-link fence and began to climb, her keeping an eye on the girl the entire time. “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND LET ME DIE?!” The girl screamed, blue eyes widening on the vice president.

People began to run out of the building and onto the ground below, and Cecelia could see more students peering out of windows. She swore she saw the ruby-eyes of Makoto at one point, but she didn’t focus on anything else but getting over the damn fence, the chatter of the students below seeming to make the girl who was standing on the ledge more upset. “He ruined me, he ruined me, he ruined me, he ruined me.” Was all Shiho kept repeating, and Cecelia instantly preparing for the worst. Shiho closed her eyes, a bitter smile forming on her face. “He can’t hurt me anymore if I’m dead.” Was what she muttered, her taking a step off the ledge.

With all the adrenaline the girl had in her body, Cecelia launched herself over the top of the fence, the points cutting into the black-haired girl’s skin. Gripping onto the fence, Cecelia dropped off of it and onto the ledge, grabbing onto the girl right before she fell past her grip. “I’m not letting you die here, Shiho.” Was what the vice-president said as calmly as she could, her grip iron-clad on the girl’s wrist. Shiho opened her eyes to see the black-haired girl’s curls whipping everywhere with the wind, the vice-president showing no sign of letting go. 

Shiho retaliated, reaching up with her free-hand to claw at Cecelia’s, her nails cutting deep and making blood spill. That blood ran from the blue-eyed girl’s hand dropped between the two, it dropping on the pavement below. “He ruined me, I have to die now. I have nothing left.” Was what Shiho kept saying, her still crying. “This is my last attempt to not let him win. To corrupt me for good.”

Cecelia’s eyes widened, her instantly knowing what happened. “Shiho, he did not ruin you.” She began, her interrupted by a blonde set of pigtails screaming her best friend’s name.

“SHIHO!”

Ann Takamaki sprinted onto the roof, making the girl that Cecelia was holding in her grasp struggle more. “Ann, I’m so sorry, Ann.” Feeling her grip loosen, Cecelia let go of the fence and used her other hand to grab onto the girl also. “Shiho. Listen to me.” The blue eyed-girl said, her voice completely serious. “He did not ruin you. You are by no means ruined at all. You dying here only lets him win. And I swear on my goddamn life I am not letting you die here, even if that means that I have to stand here for the rest of the day. You are not alone in this.” Cecelia was trying her best not to freak out, but blood was streaming from her hand and her thigh and soaking her sock, and she truly didn’t know how much longer she could do this.

“Shiho.” Ann was sobbing, her gripping onto the fence. “Please, don’t do this. I love you so much and we will get through this, okay? Just don’t leave me here alone, please. I cannot do this without you.”

At Ann’s cries, Shiho’s eyes widened her beginning to calm down ever so slightly. “Ann, I love you.” She said, only making the blonde cry even more. “See Shiho? Ann is here because she loves you, and I’m here because I care about you. We will get you through this, we promise. Just please, come back up here.” With this Shiho nodded, and to Cecelia and Ann’s relief, she held out her other hand to the vice-president, the girl grabbing it with her bloody one. Pulling Shiho up, Cecelia helped her steady herself on the ledge, supporting the volleyball member as she began to climb over the fence for the second time that day. It was only after Shiho was completely over the fence and into the arms of Ann that Cecelia began to climb, Haruki Akamatsu running onto the roof at this.

“Lia, I’m here to help you.” Nodding at her father and hearing him climb onto the fence, Cecelia made it over the top, Haruki grabbing her daughter’s bleeding hand and ignoring how it stained his own. “I got you, you’re okay,” is what he kept repeating as the black-haired vice president climbed down, launching herself into her father’s arms. “Daddy, I love you, daddy,” Cecelia kept repeating as she sobbed into her father’s uniformed chest, him holding the girl as she sobbed. “I know Lia, I love you too.”

\---

Cecelia, Haruki, Makoto, and some EMT that Cecelia didn’t know the name of were now sitting in the student council room, the vice-president sitting on the couch and getting her wounds dealt with. Makoto was sitting on her left side and Haruki was sitting on her right, Cecelia now fully calm at this point. If she was being honest, she had entered a dissociation-like state, her not fully zoned in on the things going on around her. “What happened to Shiho?” She ended up asking as the EMT removed Cecelia’s boot and now bloody sock, the woman using a wet rag to clean off the dried blood that was coated on the girl’s leg. Her hand had already been dealt with at this point, it resting in her father’s lap, him holding it as softly as he possibly could. “She and Takamaki-san ended up leaving in an ambulance, but they’re both safe,” Makoto said, and Cecelia sighed in relief. She also had somehow managed to get her ribbon back, her dad tying it on her wrist like he used to do when she was a kid.

“Lia, I am so proud of you for what you did,” is what she heard her father saying, him brushing stray curls out of his daughter’s face. “You truly did something amazing, Cecelia. The school will forever be in your debt.” Makoto said, and Cecelia winced as the EMT applied hydrogen peroxide on the cut on her leg. “I just wanted to help,” she said softly, looking at the ceiling.

_And that you did, my child._

\---

Cecelia somehow convinced her father to let her stay at school the rest of the day, how, she didn’t know. However, instead of going to class, she and Makoto stayed in the student council room, the only time she left was to grab her school bag, and Makoto was at her side the entire time. Students stared at the two student council members, gossip erupting at the appearance of the black-haired girl.

_“Hey, that’s the girl that saved one of the volleyball members from killing herself.”_

_“She truly has some guts, I couldn’t do that.”_

_“See, I told you she cared about us!”_

Her dad also appeared again with a clean pair of socks for the girl, him taking the bloody ones home with him to throw in the wash. If she was being honest, all the girl did was eat her lunch that she never got to eat and then fell asleep on the couch for a good half an hour, trying to ignore the pain in her hand and her thigh.

This day was not over, not by a long shot. After everyone had left, including Makoto, the girl unlocked her phone, staring at the metaverse icon. Taking a deep breath, the vice-president opened the app, it already having the information filled in. Clicking start, Cecelia squeezed her eyes shut, her chewing on the inside of her cheek as she heard the automated voice and felt the swirl of the world around her.

_“Beginning navigation.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so that was a lot, huh? We're fully into the heart of the story now, so I'm excited to keep this going. Thank you all for your support, and I hope you enjoyed reading, even though it was an extremely heavy chapter. I appreciate each and every one of you.


	9. 08 - bless and curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia explores Kamoshida's palace and meets the other four persona users after a run-in with the cognitive version of herself.

When Cecelia opened her eyes, she was standing in front of the castle that had been named “Kamoshida’s Palace”, it being less intimidating than when she was here the first time. Looking down, the vice-president realized that she had changed into the outfit that had come with Saint Xenia’s arrival, enjoying how the outfit looked on her. Reaching up to touch the grey mask that was covering her eyes and nose, a smirk filled the black-haired girl’s face, her walking forward and instantly wincing at the pain that filled both her hand and her thigh. Hissing pain, the girl gripped her mask as she walked into the castle, her murmuring “dia”. With that word, a green-yellow light surrounded the girl, healing the wounds that the girl had underneath her clothes.

“Did you do that, Xenia?” The girl asked, feeling the Saint more prominent in her head since she had entered the castle. Cecelia didn’t know why she said that specific word or how she even knew to say it, it just felt like she should’ve. Blue-eyes were wide and on alert, her noticing a suspicious lack of guards in the entrance to the castle. Not wanting to take any chances, the girl continued along, her listening to the Saint’s gentle voice as she navigated her way through the castle completely by luck alone.

_I am merely doing the things you wish for me to do. But, with this in mind, I am aiding you until you get your footing, so to speak._

Cecelia nodded, her not responding to the Saint. As she walked down the hallway, Cecelia froze, noticing a guard that was quickly approaching her, yet hadn’t seen the vice-president yet. Quickly hiding behind a column, the girl waited until the guard’s back was towards her, her then jumping onto the guard's shoulders and ripping the cyan mask off of the guard’s face, the guard falling over and turning into a pile of a purplish substance. On instinct and with the aid of Saint Xenia, the girl got into a fighting stance and drew her sword, the silver claymore fitting easily in her hand. Enjoying the feeling, Cecelia spun the sword, using her wrist to make it spin in a circle and her grabbing it again.

Out of the substance that was now disappearing came what the black-haired girl would call a fairy, it dressed in a blue leotard with matching gloves and boots. Glowing wings made the creature hover a few feet above the carpeted floor. Instantly reaching for her mask, Cecelia screamed Saint Xenia’s name and she appeared, the mask disappearing from the blue-eyed girl’s face and a circle of blue flames surrounding the blue-eyed girl, them also surrounding the grey-skinned Saint who stood behind the girl, her pupilless eyes closed and hands in a prayer position. “Kahoua!” The girl cried, the Saint spurring into action. Holding out her hands, Xenia opened her eyes, a blinding light emitting from them and going directly towards the fairy.

Cecelia noticed the fairy stop moving slightly, a high pitched sound of pain emitting from the creature. However, the bless skill didn’t do much to the fairy, so the vice-president made a mental note to use a different skill next time. Now it was the fairy’s turn to attack, her launching out lightning that the black-haired girl dodged, her sheathing her sword and launching herself into a back handspring. After this, Cecelia stood back up, but instead of calling the Saint again, the girl thought through her actions for a second. The creature was flying, so what if she could take out its wings?

Pulling out her handgun from her boot, the vice-president fired at the fairy, it letting out a scream and falling to the ground when the bullet connected. At this, the girl quickly placed her handgun back into her boot and unsheathed her claymore, rushing towards the fairy and quickly slicing through it, causing it to disintegrate with a pile of dust and dropping some yen coins. Cecelia quickly picked these up and pocketed it, her sheathing her sword. After this, the girl continued her exploration, noticing that just a hint of her energy had been taken from that battle.

_You did even better than I thought you would, my child. I was right to pick you._

Smiling at the praise from the Saint, Cecelia continued onward, quickly crossing the room and taking a spiral staircase that led her lower into the castle. After entering the dark and mouldy area, Cecelia’s eyes widened as she heard sounds of pain, her heeled boots clicking against the stone floor. Stopping at a large opening with bars, the blue eyes of the girl widening at what she saw.

Inside of the barred room looked like the gym at Shujin Academy, it having a volleyball net set up. There were also members of the volleyball team there, the vice-president even recognizing some of them. What they were going through made Cecelia sick, her wanting to cry at the sight in front of her.

Members of the volleyball team were lined up against the net, them getting whipped and hit by guards. All of the members were letting out groans of pain, it going straight to the girl’s heart. Knowing that she couldn’t stay in place for too long, Cecelia gave one last sympathetic look at the students, her pulling herself away from the bars and continuing onward. She also saw what looked to be the former track team in the same fate, them running on a track and away from a rolling log with spikes on it, blood staining some of the uniforms of the team and others limping.

As Cecelia continued to explore the rest of what she could assume is the prison portion of the castle, the girl grew more and more upset, Saint Xenia picking up on it and feeding into the girl’s anger. To her surprise, the girl didn’t encounter any more guards, her almost longing for something to fight. As she walked, her gloved hand sat on the hilt of her claymore, the coolness of the metal seeping through the leather of the glove. 

After exploring the first floor of the prison, Cecelia checked her phone to reveal a map of the castle, showing the girl her location. At this, the vice-president realized that there was a second floor to said prison, her standing still as she thought about whether or not it was worth anything to go even further down. Making the decision that it would only lead to a dead-end, the girl turned around and ran back the way she came, her claymore bouncing against her clothed hip as she did so. 

\---

Akira Kurusu was ready to leave the palace. After witnessing Ann Takamaki awaken her persona and fighting the guard that was holding her, he and Ryuji were assisting the girl with walking back to the entrance of the castle, the two of them low on energy. Morgana walked beside the onyx-eyed boy, the cat holding his sword and being on the lookout for any shadows. Everything was going smoothly and the shadows that he, Ryuji, and Morgana had eliminated when they first entered the palace today had yet to return, and he breathed a sigh of relief, him letting his guard down slightly. However, that all changed when Ryuji caught the three other persona user’s attention, him pointing at an armoured figure that was standing in the middle of the entranceway, the four of them staring at it with wide eyes.

“Do we have to fight it?” Ann asked, looking at it behind her bright red, cat-shaped mask. Her blue eyes were scanning the figure, the curls that were facing them reminding her of someone. In fact, the way the person held themself, the air of seriousness reminding the blonde girl of a certain vice-president.

However, Ann didn’t realize how much her voice carried. The person turned towards them, the appearance of the girl that was walking towards them startling the three humans, Ryuji mumbling to Akira, “dude..is that Akamatsu-san?”

The cognitive version of the vice-president walked towards them, her swinging the rather large broadsword she held with ease. A smirk filled her features at the shocked expression on the faces of all the persona users, her tilting her head slightly. “I was beginning to wonder when you all were going to show up. It is quite rude to leave the vice-president waiting, but I suppose none of you grew up with manners if you all are disrespecting King Kamoshida like this.”

As the girl walked towards them, Akira’s face went red as he saw what the girl was wearing, or lack thereof. Armoured plates only covered the girl’s chest, leaving very little to the imagination. A short skirt barely covered the girl, armour covering the waist of it and nothing else. Heeled armoured boots went up to her lower thighs, and Akira swallowed roughly as the cognitive version of Cecelia Akamatsu stopped in front of them, staring at them with glowing gold eyes. “Akamatsu-san, why are you doing this? And why are you dressed like that?” Ann asked, Morgana speaking up. “Lady Ann, this is only the cognitive version of the girl you know. This is what Kamoshida sees her as, and if I had to assume, she is the head of the guard.”

Cognitive Cecelia laughed, her brushing black curls away from her face. “The kitty speaks the truth. I am King Kamoshida’s, and he uses me as he wishes. However, he knows about the fun I like to have, so when I heard about you all, I just had to see you four for myself.” Swinging the broadsword, again, gold eyes met the onyx of Akira Kurusu, the black-haired cognition continuing to speak. “And it’s a shame that you all are so for going against King Kamoshida, otherwise we could’ve had so much fun together.” Ryuji’s eyes went wide, him asking the next question that Akira didn’t have the guts to ask, his eyes still stuck on the girl, “Fun? The hell do ya mean by fun?”

The cognitive version of Cecelia laughed again. “You see, I may be King Kamoshida’s, but he does let me do as I please here. He knows how much I enjoy whipping men like you into shape, in ways that I know would please the two of you.” Turning her attention from the blonde-haired boy, cognitive Cecelia turned her attention back to Akira, who was standing in front of the other three persona users, “That does excite you, doesn’t it, Kurusu-kun? Judging by the way you’ve been staring at me this entire time, you want nothing more than to lay your hands on me and call me yours. It’s almost a shame, such a pretty boy would look so good at my side.” The yellow-eyed girl’s lips formed into a pout momentarily, Akira snapping out of whatever trance he was in and reaching his gloved hand up to his mask. “Prepare yourselves, she’s going to attack,” he muttered to the other three persona users, them all nodding.

“Oh well. Looks like I’ll just have to do my second favourite activity, and that is killing you all. Though don’t hold it against me, I simply do what I’m told.” A smirk formed on the girl’s face once again, and she ran towards the four, a laugh leaving her lips.

\---

Hearing the sound of fighting, Cecelia ran up the rest of the spiral staircase, instinctively reaching her silver-gloved hand up to her mask, preparing to call the Saint’s name and do what she needed. However, she paused in her tracks when she entered the entrance hall, her eyebrows furrowing at the sight.

It was her. Well, not her, Cecelia catching the yellow eyes of the girl as she laughed maniacally. “C’mon pretty boy, you can do better than that,” the other Cecelia taunted at the black-haired boy, him just barely dodging a swing from the girl’s broadsword. Turning her attention to the floor just behind the trench-coat wearing boy, Cecelia’s eyes widened at the people that were on the ground, her recognizing the blonde pigtails of Takamaki-san and the bright yellow hair of Sakamoto-kun, the two of them struggling to get up. Beside them was also what looked like a cat, except it having a big head and large blue-eyes.

“Oh! There he goes.” The voice of the other Cecelia brought the blue-eyed vice-president’s attention back to the two people fighting, her watching as the other Cecelia swung her leg out and knocked the boy off his feet, him landing with a groan. Cecelia was frozen as she watched the other her swing her broadsword and point it at the four who were on the ground. “I must admit, you put up quite a fight. You almost made me break a sweat.” 

The other Cecelia hadn’t noticed the blue-eyed girl’s presence, her yellow-eyes instead focused solely on the black-haired boy who was struggling to get up, him being pushed to the ground as a heeled boot onto his back. “It makes me wonder what we would be like together. It’s almost a shame that I belong to the King, otherwise, we would’ve made such a great team.” Cecelia watched as the onyx-eyed boy said nothing and only glared at the yellow-eyed version of herself, her recognizing the eyes as Akira Kurusu. “Oh well! Enjoy your last moments, and pray to whatever god to believe in.”

Cecelia was spurred into action as the other her lifted her broadsword, her running forwards and catching the attention of the four who were on the ground. Takamaki-san recognized her instantly, her shouting “Cecelia?” In disbelief and making the other her freeze, turning her attention to the blue-eyed girl, who was gripping her mask.

“Saint Xenia!” The vice-president cried, the Saint appearing behind her and instantly launching a bless attack, hitting the yellow-eyed version of Cecelia square in her chest and making the girl stumble back and off of Kurusu-kun. The blue-eyed girl used the time to cast a healing spell on the four, her shouting “media!” and giving the four the strength to stand up again. Kurusu-kun instantly was up on his feet, him just nodding at the black-haired who stopped beside him, her pulling her claymore out of its sheath as the boy picked up his dagger that was knocked out of his grasp earlier.

“I must say, this isn’t the most ideal spot for us to be in, but let’s take her down,” Cecelia spoke, the onyx-eyed boy smirking and nodding, him then firing out orders. “Ryuji, Ann, come up here and help us take her down. Morgana, you stay in the back and offer healing to anyone that needs it.” The three others nodded, Takamaki-san smiling at the other blue-eyed girl and standing beside her, gripping her mask. 

“Carmen!” She called, the dancer appearing behind her as Ryuji called “Captain Kidd!” and the pirate appeared behind him. The yellow-eyed girl took it all in as she adjusted her grip on her broadsword. “Very well, here we go for round two!” Was all the other Cecelia said, her running towards the four of them again. With aimed bolts of fire and electricity, the girl did not slow down, Cecelia realizing this first and shouting “everybody move!” 

Takamaki-san and Cecelia both dived to the left, Cecelia landing in a roll onto her knees, her gloved hand still gripping at her claymore. The vice-president watched as Sakamoto-kun and Kurusu-kun dove right, the latter doing the same move that Cecelia did. Making eye contact with the onyx-eyed boy, the vice-president raised an eyebrow, an unspoken question going in between the two. Kurusu-kun just nodded, and the black-haired girl smiled slightly, gripping her grey mask as the boy gripped his white, both of them calling the names of their other selves at the same time.

“Arsene!” 

“Saint Xenia!”

With a flash of power, the two of them stood up. As she did, she felt the same wave of power she did whenever he was near, it having the opposite reaction as it normally did on her. Instead of it making the girl stumble, it made the girl stronger, her walking up to Kurusu-kun. Simply nodding at him, he offered a smirk back. Turning their attention to the other Cecelia who was watching them with wide eyes, Cecelia and Kurusu-kun screamed their attacks at the same time.

“Kahoua!”

“Eiha!”

With both bless and curse skills directed at the other Cecelia, she finally fell, momentarily off of her feet. Cecelia turned to the four others, her blue-eyes sparkling. Her grey mask was back on her face, her chest heaving slightly as she caught her breath. “Let’s not wait around long enough to see her get up,” was all she said, her running to the entrance with her heeled boots clicking and her claymore bouncing.

Ann, Ryuji, Morgana, and Akira looked between each other, them just simply nodding at each other and running after the black-haired girl.

\---

“So, Saint Xenia is a persona?” Cecelia asked as she digested everything Morgana said, the creature now a cat and sitting in Akira’s school bag. “That is correct, Lady Cecelia. You’re catching on a lot faster than Ryuji did.” He added, the blonde-haired boy letting out a cry of protest as he came back with four drinks, handing them in between the four persona users. 

While the four of them were walking to the subway from the school, Morgana took the time as an opportunity to catch both Cecelia and Ann up on what the deal was, the black-haired girl learning that the blonde had awakened to her persona only a few moments prior to them fighting the cognitive version of Cecelia. The vice-president said thank you to the boy and opened the drink, her standing beside Ann as of right now. 

“Can we talk about that surge of power between these two?” Ann pointed at the blue-eyed girl and Akira, who was watching all of this go down with no expression on his face. At one point, the blue eyes of the vice-president and his onyx met, the two just nodding at each other. “I don’t know what that was if I’m being honest. The only thing I can think of as to why is because they are each other’s weakness, though that’s only a thought.” The cat sounded confused, and Cecelia frowned, her shifting and wincing at her injuries that she forgot she had until now.

“We can figure out the meaning behind all of it later, what matters is that we all got out of there in one piece and not decapitated by the other me,” Cecelia said, her wincing as she tried to shift her leg, the wound being more painful now than it had been. Akira noticed, him tilting his head slightly as he watched the girl’s discomfort grow. “Are you okay, Cecelia?” He asked, the other three persona users turning their attention to the blue-eyed girl.

“It’s fine.” She said, her not wanting the others to worry about her. Ann didn’t buy it, her crossing her arms, “Cecelia, you’re bleeding through your bandages.” She said, and the vice-president looked at her hand, noticing the crimson beginning to soak through. Sighing, the girl chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I’ll change them when I get home. I guess going through the palace aggravated them more than my persona healed me when I first got in there.”

Ryuji stared at her with wide eyes, the cogs in his head turning, “First got in there? Ya mean you’ve had a persona before this?” He asked, and Cecelia nodded. “Yeah, awakened to Xenia after school about three days ago. I just hadn’t explored the palace before today though, since I was originally against it. But, that all changed when today happened.” The vice-president watched Ann’s face fall slightly at the indirect mention of her best friend's attempted suicide. “I want that bastard out of the school as soon as possible. I don’t want any more people to get hurt.” She said with complete seriousness, watching as Akira smiled at her reaction, Ryuji nodding. Ann looked up too and smiled, her playing with a pigtail. 

“Glad to know we’re all on the same page, then,” Morgana said, looking in between the four persona users, his tail flicking. “Now, I say it’s time we all head home a rest up, especially you Lady Cecelia.” He said and the vice-president just rolled her eyes and nodded at the cat’s authoritarian tone. “Wait! Before we all split up, let’s exchange chat IDs so that way we can keep in touch.” Ann said, holding out her phone. The other three nodded, pulling out their phone and hearing a “ding!”

After placing her phone back into her school-bag, Cecelia said goodbye to the rest of the persona users, Ryuji and Ann leaving the subway. The vice-president turned and walked towards her train, her stopping when she heard her name being called by Akira. “Mind if I join you?” He asked and Cecelia made space for him on the seat beside her, him sitting down and placing his bag in his lap, Morgana watching the two. The blue-eyed girl said nothing, her only smiling at the glasses-wearing boy when the train began to move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're in! I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and thank you for your support! Things should be going full throttle soon, so I hope you guys stick around to read more


	10. 09 - truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia forms a bond with Akira Kurusu, and realizes that her persona may be right about Goro Akechi

The train ride back to Yongen-Jaya was quiet between the two black-haired highschoolers, a comfortable silence filling the space between the two with ease. Cecelia had a faint smile on her face, her also being extremely drowsy from the day’s events. Covering her mouth with her hand, she let out a yawn, her phone and Akira’s buzzing at the same time. Realizing it was from Ryuji and it being in a newly formed group chat, the girl rolled her eyes at the message.

**Ryuji:** So, when do you guys wanna explore the palace some more? 

**Ryuji:** I want to beat the shit out of some shadows, including Kamoshida

**Ann:** Slow your roll, Ryuji. We should take the time to get supplies and better gear first

**Ann:** Plus, Cecelia shouldn’t aggravate her injuries any further.

**Akira:** I agree with Ann, it’s best to be prepared going further.

Cecelia glanced at the glasses-wearing boy, him staring at his phone screen. Feeling a pair of eyes on him, he looked up at made eye-contact with the girl, him raising an eyebrow yet continuing to say nothing. Looking back at her phone, Cecelia replied to the text, finding it harder for her to type when her hand was bandaged. Speaking of, more blood had soaked through it, and it made the vice-president frown.

**Cecelia:** ann’s right, we need to take it with at least a grain of salt. we should also expect the shadows to be getting stronger too as we go in, so it’d probably be best to equip ourselves with better gear.

**Cecelia:** we have time, so we should take this slow and consider what we’re doing rather than dive into it with no plan.

Ryuji’s next text made the girl just sigh, turning to look at Akira with a look of disappointment flashing in her eyes. The black-haired boy just shrugged, the vice-president rolling her eyes.

**Ryuji:** Yeah, about that, we don’t have all the time in the world

**Ann:** Ryuji, what did you do this time?

**Ryuji:** Well, after all the shit that happened today, me Akira and Mishima went to Kamoshida and threatened to expose him for all the shit he’s done.

**Akira** : He then stated that he’s going to expel us when he gets to the next board meeting.

**Ann:** Are you both being serious?!

**Ann:** Out of all the things you guys could’ve done, you choose to aggravate the man who basically has control over the entire school? 

**Cecelia:** okay, but we still have time. school board meetings are on the first of the month every month, so that still gives us roughly two weeks to do what we need to do.

**Cecelia:** worse case scenario, we go in before i’m healed and we can deal with the repercussions afterwards.

Akira sighed at that, him looking at the vice-president with concern flashing in his eyes. “It’ll be fine,” Cecelia mumbled, her not looking up from her phone, “what matters most is getting Kamoshida away from the school as soon as possible.”

**Ryuji:** Dude, how do ya know all this shit?

**Cecelia** : i’m the student council vice-president ryuji. it’s part of my duty.

**Cecelia:** is there anything else that i should be worried about? 

**Ann:** I don’t think so. How about we all meet up tomorrow to figure out what we need to get? It’ll be easier than us trying to figure everything out over text.

**Akira:** Sounds good. How about the rooftop after school? 

**Ryuji:** ‘m fine with that. 

With that, the group chat died and Akira put his phone in his pocket and Cecelia put hers in her bag, the two standing up when the train came to a stop and leaving it quickly.

\---

“I haven’t properly thanked you yet.” Akira said as they walked through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, pulling the blue-eyed girl out of her thoughts. “For what?” She asked, staring at the boy with her eyebrows furrowed. Brushing a stray curl out of her face, Cecelia watched as Morgana popped out of the glasses-wearing boy’s bag, him resting his front paws on Akira’s shoulder and his tail flicking.

“For everything you’ve done so far. You saved a lot of time on the day of the volleyball rally, and then you saved my life today. I owe you one.” Cecelia smiled at the boy’s statement as they stopped in front of LeBlanc, the smell of coffee wafting through the wooden door. “You have immense power, Lady Cecelia.” Morgana added, the cat and the boy watching the girl’s cheeks turn slightly pink at the praise.

“It was nothing, Akira. I just want to help as much as I can, and I know you’ll do the same for me if it comes up.” She said softly, the black-haired boy nodding. “Let’s just do our best to watch over each other, okay?” Akira smiled at that, the grin showing off white teeth. “You can count on me.” He said and Cecelia smiled even harder, her running her not injured hand through her curls. Her silver ribbon was still tied onto her hand, her not knowing if she even had the ability to even pull her hair up right now. 

“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get home before my dad sends his entire police force after me.” Noticing the boy’s confused expression, the girl’s eyes widened. “Oh, my dad is the chief of police, and happens to be somewhat protective, especially after what happened today.” Freezing, the girl thought for a second, “Actually, I can use some of the things he taught me to help us in the palace, now that I’m thinking about it. But, we can talk about that more tomorrow. Goodnight, Akira. I hope you have a nice night. And you too, Morgana, both of you stay safe.”

After saying goodbye to the two and hearing it back from both of them, Cecelia walked home, it taking her about roughly five minutes to do so. She supposes it was a good thing that she was so close to the other persona users, so that way if something happened it would be quick to get to him. Opening the door to her home, the black-haired girl smiled as Minako bounded towards her, Cecelia closing the door as she entered. Taking off her boots, she placed them by her father’s work shoes.

“I’m home!” She called, her father coming out of the kitchen and watching the girl place her school bag on the dining room table. “Welcome home, Lia. How are you feeling?” He asked, his black-eyes noticing the blood stains on the once white cloth. “If I’m being honest, not that great.” She admitted, her walking into the kitchen to grab the bottle of painkillers they kept in the medicine cabinet. Grabbing a cup and filling it up at the sink, Cecelia took two, her turning towards her dad. “Is it okay if I go take a shower and then you help me wrap them again? I don’t trust myself enough.”

Seeing her dad nod, Cecelia smiled. After finishing her glass of water, she put the cup into the dishwasher, making a mental note to run it after dinner. “Of course, Lia.” He said and Cecelia grabbed her school bag and prepared to walk upstairs, Minako close behind her. “Just yell for me after you’re out. As much as I love you, I’d rather you not track blood around the house.” Cecelia nodded, her dad continuing, “oh, and Akechi is coming over for dinner. I invited him when I saw him this morning.”

At the mention of the detective prince, Cecelia paused in her tracks. “Does he know about what happened today?” She asked, and her dad replied after a moment of thought. “I didn’t tell him, so I’m not sure. Just focus on cleaning yourself up, and you’ll have time to take a nap afterward. You look exhausted, and he said he’s not coming around until late when he gets off.” Cecelia nodded, her walking upstairs. Dumping her school bag onto her chair, the vice-president noticed the tan coat that was draped over the back of it, her wondering if she should give it back to the chestnut-haired boy when he comes over. She also had his shirt, and it was hanging up in her closet.

Walking into the bathroom, the girl quickly pulled her socks off and placed them in her hamper. Then, she worked on unwrapping the bandages from her thigh, this cut bleeding significantly less than the one on her hand. It was still not the most attractive sight, and it made Cecelia grimace as she saw it in the mirror. She also noticed that her dad was right about her looking exhausted, dark circles and eyebags on her eyes more prominent ever since she cried after saving Suzui-san from committing suicide. Thankful that the detective prince was a workaholic at this exact moment, the girl worked on unwrapping the bandages that were on her hand, the blood making them stick to her pale skin.

The wound had stopped bleeding, much to Cecelia’s relief, but it still was not pleasant. Red, jagged lines covered a portion of the girl’s hand, her not knowing how much nails could cut into skin until now. After throwing the bloody bandages into the trash can that was beside the counter, the vice-president turned on the water to the shower then stripped out of her Shujin uniform, her also throwing it in the wooden hamper. Stepping into the shower, the girl had to bite her tongue to stop herself from screaming, tears swimming in her blue eyes as the water hit both her injuries and shot pain through her. Quickly washing her hair and her body, the girl tried to avoid soap getting into the wounds, her not wanting to feel the almost burning-like feeling.

After getting you, the girl wrapped herself in a grey towel and tied her wet curls up into a bun, her not really caring how it looked. Walking into her bedroom and flicking on the light, the girl smiled at her dog sitting and staring out of the window, tail occasionally wagging.

Picking out clothes, the girl pulled a pair of black shorts out of her dresser, along with a silver tank top. Quickly getting changed into this, she called for her father, her walking towards her closet as she did so. Staring at the white button-up of Goro Akechi, the girl debated on wearing it , eventually grabbing it off of it’s hanger and putting it on. It was rather soft for it being a dress shirt, and she wanted to sleep in something that wasn’t too constricting just in case she moved in her sleep.

Grabbing her phone out of her bag, the girl checked it, her not surprised at there being no new messages. Setting it on her nightstand, the girl sat on her bed, using pillows to prop herself up as her dad came into her room with a first-aid kit in hand. “That’s my girl, you look a bit better. I take it the painkillers kicked in?” He asked, sitting down at the end of the bed as Cecelia nodded, letting out a yawn for the second time that night. “Yeah. They still hurt, but a lot less.” She stated, watching her dad clean her wound and put cream on it, her lifting her leg so it was easier for him to wrap the bandage around it. After that was done, the vice-president held out her hand to her father, him taking it gingerly in his own. “I am so proud of you Lia,” he said for the second time today, looking up at his daughter with adoration in his eyes, “you’re such a good daughter.” Was all he finished with, Cecelia tearing up at her father’s words.

After he was done, Haruki Akamatsu kissed his daughter’s forehead, him helping her get under her white duvet like he did when the vice-president was just a kid. After the girl was under the covers, the girl’s Shiba Inu jumped onto the bed and laid down at the feet of the girl, the dog silently protecting her. “Call me if you need anything, okay Lia? I love you.” The girl sleepily nodded, her letting out a yawn and mumbling “I love you too dad.” Before she quickly fell asleep.

\---

Checking the time on his phone as he walked to the front door of the Akamatsu residence, Goro Akechi raised his gloved fist and knocked on the wooden door. This is the first time that the detective prince had ever been over to Cecelia’s house, despite her coming over to his apartment multiple times. In fact, he was shocked when Akamatsu-san invited him over, him noticing something like panic shining in the black-eyes of the police chief. When Goro accepted the invitation, he asked if everything was alright, him knowing that it took a lot for the chief to panic. “Everything’s fine, Akechi,” is what Haruki said, a weak smile forming on his face, “Cecelia just wants to see you, is all.”

As the chief of police opened the door, the chestnut-haired boy pulled himself out of his thoughts and putting on a fake smile, one that he used for television appearances and interviews. “Akechi, I’m glad you could make it,” was what Haruki said with a smile, him stepping aside to let the detective in. As Goro walked into the house, he analyzed his environment. It was relatively normal and what the boy expected of the house, but he couldn’t help but smile at the picture of the black-haired girl that was hanging on the wall of the living room, the girl being dressed in a light grey dress and smiling at the camera.

“Lia’s asleep right now, she’s had an extremely long day and it knocked her out.” Haruki explained as Goro placed his briefcase on the ground and slipped off his shoes. “I’m sorry to ask you this, but do you mind waking her up? The food is almost done, and I don’t want it to burn.” The detective nodded, him smiling at the older man. “It’s not a problem, Akamatsu-san. I’m happy to assist in any way that I can.”

His voice was full of a fake pleasantness, and he was almost thankful that Cecelia wasn’t here to point it out and give him a glare that just told him that she knew. The black-haired girl sometimes seemed like a better detective than he was, her having a quick mind and an ability to get what she wanted out of him most of the time. “Great, thank you. Her room is the first door on the right when you go up the stairs. She’s normally a deep sleeper, so it might take you a bit to wake her up.” Goro nodded and walked upstairs, his heart racing for some inexplicable reason. Taking a deep breath, he ran a gloved hand through his hair, a scowl on his features for letting such an emotion to surface.

However, that scowl disappeared when he saw the black-haired girl’s sleeping form, the white duvet on her bed pulled up around her. She looked so peaceful, a small smile on her face as she slept. It made a dumb smile come to his features, and Goro wondered if it would be right to take a picture of her. The thoughts left his head as he noticed the dog at the end of her sleeping form, it awakening at his presence and staring at him. The Shiba Inu’s ears perked up, it on high alert as it watched the detective, almost silently daring him to come closer. As he took another step, the dog began to growl, the brown-eyes of the detective widened as he stopped in his tracks.

“Minako, quit it,” he heard Cecelia mumble, him glancing back at the girl. He let out a laugh when he noticed that the girl was still asleep, him walking towards the girl. The dog, Minako, did nothing to stop the boy this time, it only staring at the detective. As he stopped directly in front of the girl, he realized how truly infatuated he was with her, both physically and mentally. Breaking himself from his own thoughts, the boy placed a gloved hand on the girl’s body and lightly shaking her.

\---

Cecelia was in the lightest stage of sleep due to her dog’s growling, her eyelids too heavy for her to lift them. She was just about to lose consciousness again until she felt herself being shook by a gentle hand, her assuming it was her dad. “Is Goro here?” She asked sleepily, rolling herself over so she was on her back. However, what woke her up instantly was hearing a chuckle form said detective prince, him saying, “You’re talking to him, my dear.”

Blue eyes snapped open at that, her sitting up instantly and groaning at the sensation it gave her. Turning her head to look at the detective, Cecelia’s eyes widened and her face went red in embarrassment as the boy looked at her with amusement shining in his brown eyes. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were here.” She said, her grabbing the hair tie from her hair and tugging it out, her black curls falling loosely around her. She noticed the detective prince staring at her as she did this, her tilting her head to the side.

Snapping himself out of his trance-like state, Goro smiled at the black-haired girl, “It is quite alright. You looked so peaceful that I almost felt bad waking you up,” he admitted, watching as the girl climbed out of bed and wrapped his shirt around her. “Yeah, well, the fact that I was sleeping is embarrassing enough.” Cecelia said, smiling at the detective prince. “Thank you for coming, I’m sorry I look like such a wreck.” 

The girl walked to her dresser to pick out something more presentable to wear, feeling the eyes of the boy staring at her. Pulling out a pair of gym pants and her dad’s dark blue sweater, she smiled sheepishly at the boy. “Can you give me a minute?” She asked softly. The boy’s eyes widened and he flushed slightly, him clearing his throat. “Y-yes, of course.” He stuttered, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

\---

Dinner went really well, Cecelia learning that the detective prince fit in well with the two Akamatsu's, joking with the vice-president and her father with ease.  _ He could be faking it _ , a small voice in the back of her head said as she cleaned up dishes. Her father was taking Minako for a walk, him trusting the two enough to be alone together. Frowning, the girl shoved the thought away as she leaded dishes, Goro watching her and leaning against the counter.

“Cecelia,” He started, and the girl hummed, showing that he had her attention, “what happened to your hand?” Freezing, the girl looked at her hand and then at him, his attention fully captivated by the bandage that was wrapped around her hand. Any pleasantness the boy had in his gaze before this was gone, the darkness that the vice-president knew the boy had coming up to the surface. He almost looked angry, him walking towards her as she placed the last bowl in the dishwasher and started it, her closing the lid with a slam.

Almost feeling threatened by his presence, Cecelia told the story of the day’s events, the detective still staring at the hand that the vice-president cradled to her chest. As she finished the story, the detective simply hummed, no light shining in his brown eyes. “Well, it sounds like the people at that school simply don’t deserve you, my dear.” He murmured softly, the black-haired girl feeling oddly scared. “It’s okay Goro, I’m fine. It will be gone in a couple of days, and it all doesn’t hurt that much.” She ended up saying, moving away from the detective prince and crossing the kitchen. When Cecelia said his name, the boy’s pleasant facade was back up, him smiling at the vice-president. 

“I know, but the fact that you got hurt is not the... most ideal,” he said, and Cecelia just stared at him in shock. “Let me know if any trouble arises again, alright?” Simply nodding, the girl tried to calm her racing heart, only one thought appearing in her head as she stared at the Detective Prince. 

_ Who are you, Goro Akechi _ ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading guys! Sorry this is unedited, I'm posting this on my phone since my computer decided to not like me again. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter nonetheless, and thank you for your support! I hope you all are staying safe and well.


	11. 10 - ann takamaki and back-alley doctors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia learns she has a new friend in the blonde as Ann invites her for a girl's night, and she introduces Akira to Takemi, the back-alley doctor who they learn will be beneficial from this point forward,

Cecelia was alone in the student council room for lunch, Makoto apparently studying in the library. According to her, her entrance exam score was not ideal for her, and she wanted to pick up the pace so she only improved from this point forward. The vice-president didn’t mind at all, her wanting the president to do what she needed to do in order to be successful, but the black-haired girl sometimes worried if the brunette was trying to achieve things that were too steep, and she was just going to make herself disappointed even more.

Just about as the girl was about to pull her lunch out, the door to the student council room opened, the vice-president instantly preparing for the worse. However blue eyes lit up and her mouth curled into a smile as she saw the pigtail wearing blonde enter, her school bag slung over her shoulder. “Ann! It’s nice to see you,” Cecelia greeted, her tilting her head slightly. “Do you need anything?” The vice-president asked, the blue eyes of Ann going wise as she shook her head. “No, I just wanted to see if you wanted to eat lunch with me?” She asked, playing with a pigtail. Black curls moved slightly as the girl nodded, her standing up and grabbing her bag. “I’d love to.”

As the two girls walked out of the student council room, there were few people in the hallways, most of them either sitting inside their classrooms or going outside for lunch. However, when they walked by classroom 2-D, they could hear Ryuji’s loud voice echo into the hallway, the two female persona users just sighing and Cecelia rolling her eyes. It was a clear day with a gentle breeze, it stirring the girl’s curls as they sat down at one of the tables in the area by the vending machines, it also is where the vice-president talked to Ann and Suzui-san for the first time. “By the way, are you doing anything this evening?” The blonde asked as the vice-president pulled out her lunch, it a salad that the girl threw together quickly this morning. She didn’t need the bandages for her injuries anymore, them both scabbing over. They were still unpleasant to look at, and Cecelia pulled the sleeve of her turtleneck over her hand to hide it.

“No, what’s up?” She asked, instantly after stabbing a forkful of lettuce and placing it into her mouth. “Well, I wanted to see if you wanted to come over to my place and have a girl’s night. You could even spend the night if you wanted to since we don’t have school tomorrow.” Ann suggested, her almost sounding nervous. Cecelia brightened at the offer, excitement shining in her blue eyes. “Of course! I’d love to!” She exclaimed, a smile on her face. The blonde smiled at that, she instantly perking up. “Great! After we do everything after school today, I can text you my address so you can do everything at your own pace.”

The vice-president nodded, the smile still glued on her face, “thank you, Ann.” She said and the blonde smiled in return. However, her smile fell moments after, a sad look on her face, “I should be thanking you, Cecelia. You saved Shiho, and there are no words that I can use to thank that.” Tears began to swim in the eyes of the blonde, and the vice-president reached over and grabbed the girls manicured hand in one of her own. Ann looked startled at this, her tear-filled eyes going wide. “You don’t need to thank me, Ann. You being there for her got her back to us, and I should be thanking you for that. I just want to see her get better.”

Ann’s eyes closed into a teary smile, her nodding and sniffling slightly. “Yep, me too.”

\---

It was now after school, and Cecelia and Ann were walking up to the rooftop together, exchanging small talk as they climbed the staircase. Soon walking onto the roof, the two’s voices alerting Akira and Ryuji of their presence. Ryuji was sitting on one of the desks that were pushed together to make a clumped mess that was on one part of the roof. As the two stopped in front of the boys, Morgana jumped out of the glasses-wearing boy’s school bag, his tail flicking. “Now that we’re all here, let’s make a game plan.” The cat said and Cecelia nodded, pulling out her journal and a pen. After seeing the other four persona users staring at her for doing so, the vice-president furrowed her brows and glanced in between them. “Is it a weird concept to take notes?” She asked quizzically. 

The other’s just shook their heads, and Cecelia sighed. Kneeling down so she could write using one of the desks as support, she quickly wrote out ‘SUPPLIES’ and drew a line underneath it. “Okay, so medicine is definitely a must,” Ann said, and the black-haired girl nodded, her writing it and putting a dash by it. “Yeah, but the problem is where we would get shit like that. I mean, convenience stores only have so much, and even then, it would be fucking weird to buy it in bulk.” Ryuji said as the girl thought, chewing the inside of her cheek.

That was when Akira spoke up, him breaking the momentary silence between the persona users. “I know someone who can help us.” He stated, and the vice-president stared at him for a second, her instantly perking up when it all clicked. “Oh! You’re talking about Takemi, right?” She asked, and the glasses-wearing boy simply nodded, the girl thinking about it.”That would be our best bet; she has some pretty effective stuff.” She said, recalling the time she had a pretty severe form of the flu, her dad taking her to the back-alley doctor due to her being so close to their home. All her medicine was homemade using all of her own research, and it made all of the symptoms go away in the span of 48 hours. She also frequented the clinic early this year when her headaches were much worse than they were now, making it hard for the girl to function due to the amount of pain she was in.

Morgana also nodded at this, turning his attention to Akira, who appeared to be lost in thought. “Hey, isn’t she the woman that was in LeBlanc last night?” The cat asked, and the boy nodded. “Oh, so you two already know her then? That’s good.” Ann spoke up, and Cecelia nodded. “Yeah, her clinic is in Yongen. She’s pretty nice, but at first, she’s a little..intimidating? I can go with you if you want, Akira. It may make things easier since she already knows me.” Cecelia said and the boy nodded, him almost looking thankful at the girl’s suggestion. “Okay, so that’s one big thing down. Next is weapons or at least armour.” The vice-president said, her taking notes about everything they’ve discussed thus far. This is when Ryuji spoke up, a grin on his face. “Ooh, you can leave that to me. I know a place.”

Ann and Cecelia looked at the blonde with curiosity shining in their blue eyes, Cecelia raising an eyebrow. “Anything you suggest is questionable at best, Ryuji.” The cat said, and the vice-president instantly turned to glare at the cat, a frown appeared on her face. “Hey, be nice.” She scolded, the cat instantly looking apologetic. “Okay, that’s great. Since Akira and I are going to Takemi’s after this, do you think you could go there sometime tomorrow? The idea is for us to have everything ready to go by Monday. We don’t have to enter the palace, of course, it’s just good to be prepared ahead of time.” When the vice-president asked this, the blonde nodded with a grin on his face. “Hell yeah,” He said, earning a smile from the girl.

After she wrote all of this down, the girl closed her journal and stood up, her knees screaming in protest from staying in that position. “Do you think we’re ready to wrap up now? I mean, we got everything planned.” Ann asked and Morgana nodded his tail flicking. “I think we’re good, Lady Ann. Does anyone have any questions?” At that question, Cecelia glanced between the other persona users, seeing all of them shake their head and it making the girl smile. “I think we’re good Morgana. If anything arises, just text the chat.” Is what Akira said, the rest of them nodding.

\---

As the two of them walked through Yongen, Akira glanced at the vice-president, who appeared to be lost in thought. “Something on your mind?” He asked, the girl turning to him in surprise and blue eyes wide. Shaking her head, her lips formed into a smile. “It’s nothing major, just thinking about how...interesting the last few days have been, for a lack of a better word.” She said and the glasses-wearing boy nodded. Morgana popped out of Akira’s bag at the vice-president’s statement, “How are you feeling, Lady Cecelia?” He asked, and Akira noticed the angry red scars on her hand. “I’m okay,” was all she said, the cat taking it as an acceptable response.

“Maybe you can get Takemi to look at it,” Akira suggested and the girl let out a laugh, her blue eyes flickering to him for a second. “Yeah, maybe. It looks worse than it feels, I promise.” The vice-president said softly, a frown appearing on the boy’s face and him just nodding. He was beginning to notice a pattern with the girl and the fact that she shrugged off her own ailments with little concern for herself, and it made the boy slightly concerned if she was properly taking care of herself. He thought about it more as the two entered the clinic, the smell of cleaning supplies entering his nostrils. As the two walked up to the doctor, the blue-haired woman looked up, her brown-eyes widening slightly at the two students.

“Akamatsu, it’s good to see you again. And I see you’ve brought a friend this time.” The vice-president nodded at the doctor’s statement, the brown-eyed woman turning her attention to Akira. “Is this your first visit? I swear I’ve seen you around before.” The doctor asked, the boy speaking up, “I was in LeBlanc last night.” He said and the doctor nodded, seeming to recall her talking to him.

“Fair enough. What brings you here?” She asked, her pleasant demeanour gone. “I haven’t been feeling right.” Was all he said, Cecelia chewing the inside of her cheek. Takemi looked at Akira, her just sighing a moment later. “Very well. The two of you should head back to the exam room.”

\---

If she was being honest, the vice-president sort of tuned out Akira talking to the doctor, her just watching the two of them interact. She only perked up when Takemi called the glasses-wearing boy out on him not being sick, his eyes widening slightly and Cecelia instantly ready to step in. The black-haired girl played with a curl nervously, her watching the boy’s onyx eyes meet with her blue ones. She just nodded slightly, offering silent support and the boy relaxed a little.

“Very well. I won’t ask why you need them, but you both don’t seem like the troublemaker types. I trust that’s why you’re here too, Akamatsu?”

Cecelia nodded, her speaking for the first time ever since they entered the exam room. “Yes, though it’s for my headaches, which you already knew about.” She said, and Akira’s eyes flickered to hers again, confusion shining in them. ‘I’ll explain later’ is what she mouthed as the doctor wrote on her clipboard, the boy just nodding. After a moment of silence between the three of them, Akira spoke up. “Takemi, do you mind looking at her hand?” At this, Cecelia glared at the boy, her blue eyes hard. “Akira, this is not why we’re here.” Was what she said, only receiving a smirk from the boy as the doctor turned her attention to the girl that was sitting on her medical bed.

“Let me see it.” Was all the doctor said, the girl sighing and holding out said hand. The brown-eyes of Takemi widened when she saw it, grasping it in her cold ones. “Akamatsu, what did you do?” Was all she asked, concern in her voice. The two have known each other for quite a long time, and the doctor expressed a fondness for the black-haired girl, even though her appearances have been less frequent as of late. “It’s a long story.” Was what she said, the doctor just glaring at her. “You’re lucky this isn’t infected. I’ll give you some cream, and it should speed up the healing process. I want you to come back in a week for me to see it, okay?”

Cecelia just nodded, her casting her attention to Akira. He looked awfully smug, with his arms crossed over his chest and satisfaction shining in his eyes underneath his glasses. The vice-president just sighed, her turning her attention back to Takemi. “I will, thank you.” She said as the doctor nodded, writing some more stuff on her clipboard, “You’re welcome. Come back if it gets worse, okay? You have a tendency to disregard your own health.” With a nod, the doctor left the exam room for a moment.

“Headaches?” Was all Akira asked, Cecelia, playing with a curl. “I’m more prone to them. As to why, I have no idea, but they used to be really bad. My dad eventually had enough and brought me here to get meds for them, now they’re less intense. They usually flare up when I’m under a lot of stress.” She explained, the boy nodded. Thinking about it, she’s surprised that she hadn't had a more severe one, especially with the way things were turning out. The conversation ended when Takemi entered the exam room, handing a bottle of cream to the girl. “Apply it twice daily, and it should improve. As for you,” the doctor said, turning towards Akira, “this is all I have right now, see anything that catches your eye?”

After the boy bought a couple of things, the two left the exam room, saying their farewells to the doctor. Cecelia placed the tube of cream in her bag as they left the clinic and entered the streets of Yongen once more, a smile forming on the girl’s face. “That went better than I expected,” She admitted, brushing her hair out of her face. “Good job, keeping your cool.” As she complimented the boy, he turned to her with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Are you saying you didn’t have faith in me?” He joked and the vice-president rolled her eyes as they stopped at the front door of LeBlanc. She could see Sojiro inside, staring at the two. “You know what I’m trying to say, Akira. I don’t want to inflate your ego.” She said, earning a grin from the boy. “As much I would like to stay and talk more, I promised Ann I would hang out with her, and I don’t want her to think I ditched.” As if on queue, Cecelia’s phone buzzed, her pulling it out of her bag to glance at it. Looking back at the boy, she offered a smile to him. “Have a nice night, and good luck tomorrow. Even though he never said it, I trust that you’re going with Ryuji?”

Akira nodded, pushing his glasses up on his face. “Yeah. No offence to him, but I don’t necessarily trust him that much with that kind of responsibility.” The girl laughed at that, her typing out a reply to a message at the same time. “I don’t necessarily blame you. Well, good luck.” With another smile directed toward him, the boy nodded, watching the girl disappear down the street and entering LeBlanc.

\---

After arriving home, Cecelia pet Minako before instantly bounding upstairs to her room. Reaching out under her bed and pulling out a large bag that the girl used when she was going on trips, she placed in on her bed. After, the girl walked over to her closet and pulled out clothes for her to wear so she didn’t have to wear her school uniform to Ann’s house. She almost wore her jean skirt again, but then she remembered that her sweater was still at Goro’s house. She hadn’t talked to the boy ever since he left last night, and she was still confused as to his reaction to her hand. She tried to shrug it off though, trying to reason with herself that he was simply tired.  


**Cecelia:** remind me to ask you for my sweater the next time i see you.

Shooting a text to the boy, the girl quickly got changed into a pair of jeans and a cropped sweater that had vertical multicoloured stripes on it. The girl also threw in a pair of ripped jeans and a grey short-sleeved shirt, along with a pale yellow jacket, just in case the weather did an unexpected change for the worst again. Hearing her phone go off, the girl ignored it as she packed, her making sure to walk into the bathroom and grab the spare toothbrush and toothpaste that she kept under the sink for times like this. Looking at herself in the mirror, Cecelia smiled, her running a hand through her curls to smooth them slightly. She had them in the half-up, half-down hairstyle she normally did, them being secure back by a white ribbon that was a stark contrast from her hair,

After finishing packing her clothes, the girl grabbed her phone charger and threw it into the bag, along with one of her extra pillows from her bed and the throw blanket she kept at the end of the bed. She trusted Ann to supply those things, but it never hurt to be prepared, and the girl found she slept better with things that brought a sense of familiarity for the girl. Grabbing her purse from the hook it hung from, the girl placed it on her bag, moving her journal and her wallet from her school bag and into it. She didn’t plan to write anything in it, but she felt better having it on her. Grabbing her phone, she read Goro’s reply, typing out a reply in response.

**Akechi:** Of course. We seem to have a tendency to steal each other’s belongings, don’t we? 

**Cecelia:** i suppose we do.

Pulling on her sneakers, the girl placed her phone in her purse after reading the address Ann gave her. After this, she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, her walking downstairs. Leaving a note for her father, the girl quickly locked the door and left the house, a smile on her face and excited for the night’s events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterday guys, things have been kinda hectic as of late. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless, and I should be going back to posting daily. Also, the chapters should be getting longer, due to me wanting to get more done and things speeding up. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope everyone is staying safe and well during these weird times, and my story can offer some sort of escapism.


	12. 11 - heart to hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia has a girl's night with Ann and realizes how much she needed to have a friend, and she has a talk with Akira over coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you wanted some songs that fit with the story, I made a playlist on Spotify with some of the songs that I can imagine fitting in the story really well. You can look up "cecelia - p5r" on Spotify or use the link below, and if you have any suggestions, please let me know! I love hearing y'alls feedback.
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7uiWqd6mKsVEMcv10l43UB?si=h_6OntT9R-62EDXhst5lgA

When Cecelia rang the doorbell to the Takamaki household, she instantly heard a set of feet travel downstairs, the blonde opening the door with a smile on her face and her blue eyes. “Cecelia! I’m glad you could make it. Here, let me take that for you.” She said, gesturing to the sports bag that was hanging off of her shoulder. Smiling at the blonde, the vice-president nodded, shrugging the bag off and handing it to her. Following Ann upstairs, the two girls ended up in the bedroom of the model, it being what the vice-president and not at the same time.

As she walked in, the first thing the black-haired girl noticed was the wall of clothing. Shelving units covered the entire right wall, shirts and dresses hanging from fabric hangers. On the shelves, were various clothing boxes, some of them even covering the floor in front of the shelves. In front of this, there was a black leather chair with a heart-shaped pillow on it, and it faced a TV that was placed on a dark wooden TV stand. Pushed up against the back wall were the girl’s bed and storage for all the girl’s shoes. The bed was covered in a messily placed crimson satin blanket, the vice-president noticing a bright pink pillow peeking out from underneath it.

The wall to the girl’s left had brick style to it, above Ann’s bed having a picture of what Cecelia would assume to be another model. There was also a bookshelf that was packed with magazines and had a teddy bear placed carefully on the top of it, and next to the bookshelf sat a simplistic wooden desk. “I really like your room.” That was what the vice-president said as the blonde placed the girl’s bag at the foot of her bed. The blonde flushed slightly, smiling at the black-haired girl. “Thanks! It’s one the spot that feels truly mine, you know?” Nodding at that, the blonde continued.

“So, I was thinking that we could do a snack run, and then grab some food from Big Bang Burger?” She suggested and Cecelia smiled, relieving Ann of her worries. “That’s perfect, I really don’t mind. Were you worried I was going to say no?” The vice-president asked as the blonde grabbed her purse and the two walked downstairs, them leaving the house as quickly as they entered. “A little bit? You just have this air of, I don’t know, seriousness around you. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just kinda hard to gauge your reactions sometimes,” the blonde explained as they walked through the streets of Shibuya, them entering Triple Seven as the vice-president chewed the inside of her cheek.

“Oh, I suppose I do.” She said softly, the two of them stopping in the chip aisle. Both grabbing large bags, the girls just laughed at each other. “I never really thought about it before. I mean, I haven’t had a lot of friends as of late before you guys, so I don’t really know how to act around other people?” That was only a guess, and she had more to back that up. “Don’t worry about it that much, Cecelia. It’s sort of endearing in a sense.” The blonde said as they grabbed a few more things and walked them up to the cashier, the vice-president reaching for her wallet. Ann opened her mouth to interject, but Cecelia just smiled. “Consider this a thank you.” Sighing, the blonde nodded, and soon all of their snacks were placed into a plastic bag and they were walking outside again, both of them thanking the cashier while leaving.

“Endearing?” Picking up on their conversation from earlier, Ann just nodded. “Yep! It’s cute, how you’re so serious all the time. This is the first time I’ve seen you so relaxed, and out of vice-president mode.” Flushing slightly at the model’s words, the two of them stopped in front of Big Bang Burger. “Do you mind waiting outside while I get this? Just so they don’t get the wrong idea.” Cecelia just shook her head, leaning against the wall of the building. With that, the blonde went inside, the vice-president pulling out her phone and aimlessly beginning to scroll through social media. She didn’t have many people on it, mostly some friends from when she was little and before she moved to Yongen-Jaya, and Goro. The detective prince was always an outlier.

Furrowing her brows, the vice-president paused what she was doing when she felt a pair of eyes on her, her looking up from her phone and around the busy street. Not seeing anyone that she could directly point out as the perpetrator, she attempted to shrug the feeling off as Ann came out of the restaurant, smiling at the other blue-eyed girl and with a bag of fast food in her hand. “I didn’t know what to get you, so I just got us both what I normally order.” Nodding at that, the two fell in step with each other, walking down the main street of Shibuya as they exchanged small talk. Cecelia could still feel eyes on her, and she glanced over at the blonde to see if she noticed the same thing. Blue eyes met blue as the two walked down the street, the two of them saying nothing but a mutual understanding passing through them both. Ann grasped her by the wrist of her injured hand and pulled her into one of the backstreets. “Just in case,” is what she said, the vice-president nodding and playing with a curl as the two of them walked backed to the Takamaki household.

Despite being “the stone-cold vice-president”, Cecelia Akamatsu has had many encounters with boys catcalling her, mostly in school if she had to place bets. She assumed Ann had been too, judging by the fact that she didn’t even bat an eye and instead just changed her course. Despite the encounter the two of them just had, the two girls silently vowed to not let it ruin their night as the blonde unlocked the front door to her house and stepped inside. “So...how do you want to do this? We can shower then eat, or eat then shower.”

Cecelia considered both options, her chewing the inside of her cheek as the two climbed the stairs with food in hand. “Let’s shower first, so that way we don’t have to pause what we’re doing.” The blonde nodded at that, the two girls smiling at each other.

\---

The two girls were now clean and dressed in pyjamas, Cecelia also seeing Ann’s hair down from her infamous pigtails for the first time. At this point, they had both finished their dinner, and they had opened the snack bags and placed them into plastic bowls, all of the wrappers placed in a trash can that was located in the kitchen. They were currently sitting on a pile of blankets and pillows that the two of them made on the floor in front of the TV, some sitcom playing that two weren’t paying attention to.

“Hey Cecelia,” Ann asked, getting the girl’s attention. Cecelia hummed, her having placed a chip in her mouth moments before. “Have you ever braided your hair?” The question made the girl think as she swallowed the chip and took a sip of her drink, her eyebrows furrowed. “Not in a very long time.” She said after she tried to recall a frequent time, the blonde looking at her with excitement shining in her eyes. “Do you mind if I braid it then?” She asked and the vice-president just smiled and nodded.

Walking over to the end of her room, the girl pulled out a bright pink hairbrush and two hair ties, the girl patting the leather chair as a silent instruction for her to sit in it. Cecelia did so, her grabbing the heart-shaped pillow and holding it to her chest. Closing her eyes, the girl relaxed into the feeling of the model brushing her hair, letting the girl do as she pleased. “How is your hair so soft?” The blonde asked as she parted the curls down the middle, the vice-president just shrugging. “I don’t know. I don’t even use expensive products.” She said, enjoying the sensation of the girl braiding her hair.

“You’re just one of the lucky ones, I guess,” Ann stated, finishing one pigtail and moving onto the next. “You’ve always been really pretty, even in middle school. I’m surprised more boys didn’t go after you.” She said softly, and the vice-president laughed at that. “That may be so, but I’m the vice-president. At this point, people are more worried about me snitching on them than trying to date me.”

Ann just hummed in reply, her finishing with the second pigtail and securing it with a hair tie. “Done! It looks good on you if I’ll say so myself.” She said excitedly, grabbing a mirror from her desk and handing it to the girl. Looking at her appearance, the girl smiled. The French braids rested just below her collarbones, stray curls that were too small to go into the initial portion framing her face and making her look softer, almost doll-like. She could recall getting compliments as a little kid from parents of her friends when her father came to pick her up, mothers describing her looks as “a porcelain doll” or “a modern-day Snow White”. “Thank you, Ann, it looks really good.” She said, and the blonde smiled, her clapping her hands together in excitement.

The two were watching some romantic comedy at this point, Cecelia drifting in and out of sleep. All the lights in the model’s room were off except the TV, the vice-president under blankets and laying on the air mattress the two of them set up with some difficulty. “I was thinking we could go to Harajuku tomorrow, and go shopping,” Ann said with a yawn, her lying on her bed under her own blanket. “That’s fine with me,” Cecelia responded sleepily, a comfortable silence surrounding the two female persona users.

“Hey, Ann?” Cecelia asked as she turned off her phone, finding social media dry. “Yeah?” The girl mumbled. “I just want to say thank you for all of this. I haven’t had a friend that’s invited me for a night like this in ages.” She admitted, almost ashamed. “I really appreciate it.”

“Of course! I’ve always wanted to get closer to you, and because of the two of us having personas, I feel like now was a good time. And I totally get the whole “not having friends thing”, most people didn’t like me because I’m technically a foreigner, and all that shit with Kamoshida.” She said, her expression going dark for a second. “But, we’re together now, and we’re gonna make sure nothing bad happens again. You have a friend in me, Cecelia.”

Cecelia nodded her shifting slightly. “Likewise.”

\---

The two were now walking through the streets of the shopping district, Ann looking absolutely ecstatic. It made Cecelia smile, her wanting to see the blonde happy and forget about her worries momentarily. They were now entering another store, the vice-president losing count. She didn’t mind, in fact, she enjoyed the time where she could just be a normal teenage girl and forget about her responsibilities. “Hey, Cecelia! This would look great on you.” Ann’s statement pulled her out of her thoughts, seeing the blonde holding a white dress. As she walked up to it, she noticed it had a pale blue checkerboard pattern on it. The dress itself had spaghetti straps, and the vice-president took it from the model’s hands, the fabric being soft and stretchy.

“I’ll try it on.” Was what Cecelia said after a moment of thought, taking it from the model’s hands. After walking through the racks and pulling out a few more things, including a grey long sleeve shirt to go under the dress that the model picked out earlier. Stepping into the dressing room, the girl slipped out of her jeans and shirt, her putting on the shirt and dress. It was more skin-tight than the girl anticipated, hugging the girl’s curves with ease. She liked how it looked though, her stepping out of the dressing room to get Ann’s opinion.

“Oh my god, that looks so good on you! You’re definitely getting that.” The blonde said excitedly, Cecelia’s cheeks heating up slightly at her excitement. Nodding, the girl changed back into her street clothes and slid her sneakers back on, her making sure she had her purse before she left the dressing room.

After looking around the store some more, the two girls paid for the things they bought, exciting the store with two additional bags to their collection. Ann was now pulling the girl into a makeup store, the vice-president smiling slightly and following the fire-wielding persona user. “You don’t wear makeup, do you?” The blonde asked slightly, the black-haired girl shaking her head. “I’ve wanted to get into it for a bit, I just didn’t know where to start.” She admitted, Ann perking up. Pulling the girl to a corner of the store, Ann looked around the counter for a moment before pulling out a tube of mascara and handing it towards Cecelia. “This is the one I use, It’s super good and waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about it coming off.”

Nodding, Ann smiled. As she walked off to another part of the store, Cecelia sweatdropped, wondering how long the blonde was going to introduce her to these things. Though the girl didn’t mind, in fact, she enjoyed having a friend like this.

\---

Monday came faster than the girl thought it would, her sitting in her morning class. Ryuji simply nodded at her when she walked in, the blue-eyed vice president just offering a small sort of smile in response. She had been at the school early this morning, there is yet another transfer student that she had been trusted to introduce. She didn’t mind, but after learning that Kamoshida was going to be with the two, the girl wanted to instantly bang her head on the table. She apparently was going to be called out of class for it, her just drumming her pen on her textbook as she listened to Inui lecture.

The five persona users had decided to enter the palace on the twentieth, giving them more time to mentally prepare themselves for whatever they would encounter. Cecelia and Ann were also caught up to speed on the threat of Kamoshida having a mental shutdown, the two blue-eyed girls agreeing to change his heart nonetheless. No matter if the mental shutdown did occur, the man would still be unable to hurt any more students, and that’s what mattered most to the vice-president. Speaking of, the intercom spurred to life with a crackle, it being Principal Kobayakawa. “Mr Inui, if you’ll please excuse Akamatsu-san, she has student council duties.” Sighing, Cecelia stood up, brushing her skirt and feeling the eyes of every single present member of the class stared at her, Ryuji included. “I suppose so. Akamatsu-san, you have read up on the material, correct?” Inui asked as the girl packed her belongings, nodding. Her blue eyes were emotionless as she slung her school bag over her shoulder. “Yes sir,” was all she said in response, the teacher nodding.

“Very good. You may be dismissed then.” Nodding at the teacher, the girl quickly left the classroom, her not waiting around to hear the rumours erupt about the girl. Quickly walking to the student-council room, the vice-president inwardly groaned when she heard the voice of Kamoshida, her stepping inside the room and finding the gym teacher and a red-headed first year, her hair held in a ponytail with a bright red ribbon. “Ah, Akamatsu-san. I should’ve expected they would entrust you with such an important task as this.”

Kamoshida’s voice made the girl want to scream, but she just nodded. “You must be Yoshizawa-san, correct?” Cecelia asked, turning her attention to the red-headed first year. When she nodded, the girl smiled softly, her holding out a hand for her to shake. “I’m Cecelia Akamatsu, I’m a second year and the vice-president of the student council. Makoto Nijima, the president, would like to introduce herself to you as well, but she is busy at the moment.” As the vice-president introduced herself, Yoshizawa-san took her hand, smiling at the black-haired girl. “It’s nice to meet you, Akamatsu-senpai. Mr Kamoshida told me that you two were going to introduce me to the school?”

Nodding at the first-year's question, Cecelia smiled slightly. “Yes, just so you can get your bearings.”

\---

As the three of them walked through the school, Cecelia tried to ignore Kamoshida’s eyes staring at her back, instead of throwing on a fake face that could put Goro Akechi’s to shame. That face slipped into shock, however, when as they were walking by classroom 2-D, out came Akira and Kawakami. Blue eyes met onyx, the vice-president silently asking if he was okay. He looked as shocked as she did to see the girl, him nodding slightly. His eyes then flickered from Cecelia’s to Kamoshida and then back to the vice-president, him raising a brow. The girl just rolled her blue eyes, the annoyance on her face making the boy grin slightly, it then falling when he saw her act slip a little bit more and saw something like fear shimmering in her blue eyes.

At this his hands clenched into fists, silently promising the girl that they would get rid of him soon. Even though the two haven’t really talked all that much, Akira found himself quite fond of the girl, her having a special aura around her that made him wonder if there was more of a connection to the two than either of them knew. Cecelia had the same questions, especially since the way their persona’s seemed to feed off of each other and make their attacks more powerful. Nodding at the boy, Cecelia’s act was back up, her vice-president act as hard as nails. Yoshizawa-san, seeming oblivious to the tension that the vice-president could cut with a knife, perked up at the glasses-wearing boy's appearance. “Oh, Kurusu-senpai. It’s nice to see you again.” She greeted, Kamoshida's face turning into a scowl.

“Yoshizawa, you know him?” He asked, Cecelia, rolling her eyes and chewing the inside of her cheek. Leaning against the wall, the vice-president crossed her arms over her chest, her knowing the direction this was turning. “Yes, he assisted me on the train the other morning.” Was all she said, the gym teacher nodding. “Very well. I don’t recommend you hang around him. He does have a criminal record after all, and he is going to get expelled very soon.” Yoshizawa-san looked confused at that, and Cecelia glanced at Akira, who was looking at her with anger shimmering in his eyes. _‘It’ll be okay,’_ she mouthed to the boy, trying to offer him some support in the not-pleasant situation. Akira relaxed a little at that, him just pushing his glasses up on his face to hide his eyes and simply nodding.

“Yoshizawa-san, why don’t we continue our tour? We’re almost done, I promise.” Cecelia spoke, breaking the silence between all of the people present. Getting a nod from the girl, who still looked awfully confused, the three of them continued on.

\---

“Yo, why the fuck did ya get called out of class?” Ryuji asked towards the vice-president, who was looking at her sushi with an unreadable expression on her face. Akira frowned at this, the four persona users eating lunch together on the roof, with Morgana curled up beside the boy. “I had to introduce another student.” That was all Cecelia said, her just sighing. She had a headache coming on, and she left her meds at home on her desk, and the ones the nurse offered weren’t that effective.

“You didn’t look very happy about it,” Akira stated, and the blue eyes of the girl meeting his. “It would’ve been fine if Kamoshida wasn’t there. I mean, it’s not even his job. I don’t understand it at all if I’m completely honest.” Cecelia just sighed as she placed a piece of sushi in her mouth. “It will all be over soon. We just have to hold on.” Was what Ann said with a mouthful of food, the other three persona users turned their attention to the blonde, Morgana being asleep. The vice-president was absent-mindedly petting the cat, her enjoying how soft he was underneath her fingertips.

“How is Suzui-san doing?” Akira asked, earning Ann’s undivided attention. “She’s alright. I’m allowed to visit her today, so I’m going to after school.” The vice-president’s lips turned up to a hint of a smile at that, finally some good news.

\---

The rest of the day and the next passed by with a blur, Cecelia working at the flower shop after school. She was itching with anticipation to change Kamoshida’s heart, her being as prepared as she can be. Thanks to Takemi, the wound on her hand was almost completely healed, only faint scars remaining.

As the last customer left with a bouquet that they were satisfied with, the vice-president’s phone buzzed, her pulling it out of her pocket to check it. Much to her surprise, it was a text from Akira.

 **Akira:** Do you want to come over to LeBlanc?

Smiling at the message, the girl typed out a reply, her boss watching this with an amused sort of grin on her face.

 **Cecelia:** i’d love to. i’m at work right now, but i’m just about to get out of here then i’ll be straight over.

“Is it that boy from the last time you were here?” Cecelia’s boss asked as she pocketed her phone and untied her apron, hanging it up in the place she normally did. “No, why do you ask?” The black-haired girl questioned as she watched her boss get her pay for her, grabbing her purse from underneath the counter and pulling out her wallet. “He just seemed very fond of you, that’s all. You two are in a relationship, right?”

Cecelia flushed at the question, her fiddling with a curl. “No, actually. We’re just good friends, and have been for a while now.” She said with a smile as her boss handed her pay. Her boss seemed to deflate at that. “That is a shame. It’s been ages since I’ve seen someone look at another person like that, it was like you were the only person in the world to him.” Not knowing how to respond, the girl just chewed the inside of her cheek. Goro Akechi was a very confusing character, and the black-haired girl didn’t have enough energy to even think about her standing with the boy. “Excellent work, Cecelia. Come back when you’re free.”

Smiling at her boss, the girl left the flower shop, thanking the woman as she left.

\---

The door to LeBlanc chimed as the vice-president entered the cafe, Akira smiling when the blue eyes of the girl met his. “Welcome.” Was all he said with a grin on his face, the girl sitting her bag down on the ground and sitting in the stool that was across from his position. Morgana jumped onto the counter at this, him exclaiming “Lady Cecelia!” and walking over the girl. Akira frowned at this and the affection the cat was getting, him instead of focusing on making coffee for the girl.

“Sorry for it being so late. I was in the underground all when I got your text, and my boss decided to bombard me with questions when I was trying to leave,” Cecelia explained, Akira just nodding at her apology. “You don’t have to apologize, I’m just happy you made it.” Looking up at the vice-president, he noticed how out of it she looked. “Is everything alright?” He asked, the girl zoning back in at his question.

“Yeah, just a headache.” Was all she said, Akira staring at her. He watched as the girl fidgeted in her seat slightly. “Are you sure that’s all?” He asked as he placed a cup of coffee in front of her, walking around with his own cup and sitting down next to her. He also shooed Morgana off of the counter as he did this, the cat saying nothing but glaring at him in protest. “Sort of? It’s not a big deal, Akira. I’ll be fine for the infiltration tomorrow if that’s what you’re worried about.” She said with a weak smile, her saying thank you for the coffee after and sipping it. “Is this decaf? I didn’t even know Sojiro carried it.” She asked and the boy nodded.

“Yeah, I figured it would be best if we could actually sleep tonight. And I’m not worried about the infiltration, I’m worried about you.” Akira said, him completely serious. Cecelia just sighed, her blue eyes never leaving his onyx. “It’s just student council stuff. I’m trying to figure out how to balance things, and I know with Kamoshida leaving it will cause more turmoil. And Makoto has been kind of flaking lately, so I’m trying to pick up the loose ends.”

Akira’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of a name he hasn’t heard of before. “Makoto?” He asked, the vice-president’s eyes going wide. “Oh, sorry. Makoto Niijima, she’s the president.” Cecelia said softly. Holding the coffee between her palms and letting the warmth seep into her skin. “I know I have no right to complain, but everything has just happened so fast, and it’s like my body hasn’t caught up to it all yet. I’m sure once we change Kamoshida’s heart it will help a bit, I’m just not sure. Even Xenia has been awfully quiet.”

“Your persona talks to you?” Akira asked Cecelia, who furrowed her brows. “Yeah...Arsene doesn’t? She’s talked to me since I awoke to her.” Seeing the onyx-eyed boy shake his head, the vice-president frowned. “Huh. Yet another thing. I’ll ask Ann tomorrow. It may be the personality of the personas? I don’t know.” Seeing the girl’s face fall, and almost out of instinct, Akira reached over and grasped her smaller hand in one of his own, offering comfort for the girl. Smiling slightly at the boy, the girl enjoyed the feeling. “Everything will turn out like it needs to.” The boy said, the girl laughing slightly. Finishing her coffee, the girl had a faint smile on her face.

“Sounds like something I should be saying to you,” Cecelia mumbled, her attention focused solely on the boy. Feeling his thumb rub over her knuckles, the girl squeezed his hand softly in return. “You know, you’ve probably heard this already, but you’re a lot better than I thought you would be.” Seeing Akira raise an eyebrow, the girl continued. “I didn’t want to make assumptions, due to that just not being my thing, but you surprised me. In a good way of course.”

Akira smiled at that, him squeezing her hand in an unspoken thank you. “Do you want me to walk you home?” He asked softly, and the girl nodded, a small smile on her face. “If you don’t mind.”

\---

The walk back to the Akamatsu household was a quiet one, the two just enjoying each other’s presence. For the first time in about three days, the girl could feel her persona appear in the back of her head, almost seeming happy at the way things were turning out. “Thank you,” Cecelia mumbled as the two stopped at her doorstep, seeing the lights of the house on. “For listening to me, also. I’m not sure you necessarily wanted to hear all of that.”

Akira just smiled at the vice-president, her standing on the staircase so the two were equal in height. “I truly don’t mind. It’s what friends are for, and I know you'd do the same for me.” Nodding at the boy, Cecelia smiled in return, her blue eyes shining in the artificial amber of the outdoor lights. “Have a good night, Akira. Text me if you need anything.” She said softly, turning her attention to the door. “Make sure to rest up, we have a big day tomorrow.” After opening the door, the girl turned back to see the glasses-wearing boy nod. “You too, Cecelia.”

With that, the two went their separate ways, Akira glancing one last time at the door to the Akamatsu household, seeing the girl disappear in the golden light that emitted from the home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading guys! I'm really happy with how this chapter came out, and I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be even longer than this one, due to the fact that it's the infiltration of Kamoshida's palace and everything that goes along with that. That should be up tomorrow, so I'm excited to write that too. I hope everyone is staying safe and well during these times!


	13. 12 - luna and the phantom thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia gets her codename, and the Phantom Thieves of Hearts successfully infiltrate Kamoshida's Palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT 2/17/21: since I updated cecelia's outfit last chapter, I'm making it so the dilagoue matched this outfit compared to the old one.

It was now April 20th, the day of reckoning as Akira mentally called it. Quickly getting up and getting changed into his school uniform, the frizzy-haired boy pushed his glasses on his face and mentally prepared himself for the day. Morgana was awake too, him standing on the railing of the stairs in the attic by the boy’s school bag and his tail flicking slightly. “Are you ready for today?” Is all the cat asked, the boy nodding. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Was all he mumbled in response, grabbing his bag after the blue-eyed cat placed himself into it. 

Walking downstairs, the boy did a double-take at the black-haired girl who was sitting at the counter, the sound of him walking down the stairs from the attic making her turn. “Good morning, Akira. Did you sleep well?” Cecelia asked, blue eyes shining under the yellow lights of the cafe. The girl had her hair in braided pigtails, stray curls framing her face. Seeing the boy nod, the vice-president smiled, her turning her attention back to Sojiro, who was placing a plate of curry in front of her. Placing his bag on an empty stool and sitting down beside her, he greeted a “good morning” to his guardian, who said it back gruffly. The three people in the cafe turned their attention to the window when a crack of thunder was heard, the sky opening up and rain hitting the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya at an incredible force. “Oh, wow,” Is what the blue-eyed girl said between bites of curry, “I saw that it was going to rain today, but I didn’t know it was gonna be this bad.” 

Sojiro nodded, him running a hand through his greying beard. “Yeah. Do you have an umbrella, Cecelia? If not, I can lend you one.” Smiling at the offer, the vice-president shook her head. “I have one in my bag, but thank you.” The cafe owner smiled in response, and as he walked back to check the inventory, the girl turned her attention to the boy who was eating beside him. “Are you ready for today?” She asked, her sliding the empty plate up on the counter a bit. Akira nodded, him also finishing his plate. “As ready as I’ll ever be. What about you?” He said in return, noticing purple circles that ran under the blue eyes of the girl. “Same here. My nerves are a little bit high, I’ll admit, but it’ll all work out like it needs to.”

Nodding at the vice-president, Akira reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, the girl smiling at him and squeezing his hand back. The girl slid off of her stool as Sojiro walked back to the counter, her straightening her skirt and pulling up her socks slightly. Getting out her wallet, the cafe owner simply waved a hand at the vice-president, her eyes widening slightly. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.” Was all the girl asked, eyes wide. The apron-wearing man just chuckled and shook his head, staring at the girl through his glasses. “It’s on the house. Tell your dad I said hello, will you?” Nodding, Cecelia smiled, her placing her wallet back into her bag and pulling out her red, travel-sized umbrella. Sojiro turned his attention to the boy, who was watching the interaction with the hint of a smile on his face. “I take it you’re going with her?” Was all he asked, the onyx-eyed boy nodding. “Good. Stay out of trouble, and have a nice day.”

Akira’s eyes widened, this being the first time that his guardian had ever told him something relatively nice, him just nodding at the older man. Cecelia was watching two, blue eyes flickering between them both. “You too, thank you again.” She said softly, pulling the other Shujin student out of whatever state he was in. Sojiro simply nodded as the two students walked towards the door, the black-haired boy pulling out a black umbrella from the stand by the door, the two leaving the cafe.

\---

The two of them exchanged pleasant small talk on the subway and the walk to school, both of them holding their umbrellas over their heads to shield themselves from the rain. “You know, I give you props for bringing Morgana to school. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten caught.” The vice-president said, the blue-eyed cat popping out of Akira’s school bag at his name. “I’ll have you know, Lady Cecelia, that I am the only reason that he does well in his classes.” The cat stated, the glasses-wearing boy just rolling his eyes at the cat’s statement. Cecelia sweatdropped at that, a faint smile on her face. Making eye contact with the onyx-eyed boy, the two of them just looked at each other with the same emotion shining in their eyes.

As the two walked into the gates of the school, any happiness that they had disappeared when they saw Kamoshida at the entrance, him greeting arriving students with a smile on his face. The vice-president deduced that the reason he was in such a good mood was due to the future expulsion of Akira, Ryuji, and Mishima, that making the girl chew the inside of her cheek and simply letting out a sigh. The black-haired boy at her side caught onto the girl’s agitation, him just simply saying “it’ll be okay” softly as the two walked up to the gym teacher. The girl said nothing but simply nodded, her blue eyes devoid of any emotion as she entered vice-president mode. “Good morning Akamatsu!” The gym teacher greeted as the two students walked by him, both of them stopping in their tracks. “Good morning,” Is what she replied with, her not making eye contact with the man. Akira was, however, a scowl on his face as he saw the way that the teacher was looking at the persona user. He had an urge to pull the girl close and away from his gaze, but he didn’t act on it.

“You better hurry your pretty little self to class now. Can’t have the vice-president setting a bad example, can we?” At that, a wave of anger flared through the girl’s eyes, her clenching her jaw and tightening her grip on her red umbrella until her knuckles turned white. Saying nothing, Cecelia just continued walking, her boots splashing in puddles as she entered the school. Kamoshida frowned at this, him turning his attention to the boy that was staring at him. “And what do you want?” He spat out, him crossing his arms over his chest. Akira said nothing, noticing the vice-president shaking out her red umbrella with a force that wasn’t needed, a scowl on her face. “Hm, whatever. You’ll be gone soon anyway.” Was all the gym teacher said at the boy’s silence. “You better not give Akamatsu any wrong ideas though, she’s too good to be associating with the likes of you.” With that the boy continued, seeing the black-haired vice-president waiting for him at the entrance, blue eyes staring at him.

Cecelia tried to release some of her tension as Akira walked towards her, Morgana popping out of his bag as he stopped next to him. “Are you okay, Lady Cecelia?” The cat asked, large blue eyes shining with sympathy at the interaction that had happened previously. Cecelia just nodded, her watching the boy shake out his umbrella. “I just hate him.” She admitted, her voice low to not draw the attention of the students around them. Playing with a braid, the girl continued, the two of them walking down the wooden hallways. “But, it will end soon.” Akira nodded, him noticing that the girl was a lot tenser than she was this morning. Students watched the two with wide eyes, gossip erupting at the fact that the vice-president was talking to the student with the criminal record, of all people.

_“I wonder why they’re walking together.”_

_“He probably just wants her to help him with something, Akamatsu-senpai is nice like that.”_

_“He doesn’t deserve the kindness that she gives him.”_

Ever since the vice-president saved Suzui-san from jumping off the school roof, the student body's opinion of her had done a complete 180, realizing how much Cecelia cared about them. Instead of her being a teacher's pet, she was now apparently deemed important in their eyes, which she truly didn't know how to feel about. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she could already feel a headache coming on, her squeezing her eyes shut and trying to mentally reset herself. Stopping at the front of classroom 2-D, the girl gave Akira a weak smile, her looking even more tired than she did this morning. "Have a good day, I'm here if you need anything." She said softly, the boy nodding, concern flashing in his onyx eyes. 

Catching on, the girl just smiled again, "I'll be fine, Akira. I've dealt with worse, and I don't need you worrying about me." As she said this, she turned and left, the boy not even having time to reply to the vice-president. 

\---

The day passed slowly for all four of the human persona users, Cecelia zoning out through lectures. Instead of paying attention, she ended up texting Goro Akechi, the detective prince who had an interview today so he could reply to the girl between commercial breaks. She ended up teasing him for that, her smirking slightly when she imagined the exasperated look on the chestnut-haired boy's face. Despite all that, she made plans with him to swing by his apartment this evening, the invitation being offered by him. She then ended up thinking back to her boss's words yesterday, her frowning slightly as she stared at her phone screen. 

"Well, let's see if you guys know your stuff. Akamatsu-san!" Ms Usami said, capturing the vice-president's attention. "Yes ma'am?" The girl asked, her placing her phone inside her desk. "What is it called when a solution to a problem is correct, but it is not a valid solution in the problem?" Cecelia perked up at this, math was her strong suit. "An extraneous solution." She replied with confidence, the teacher nodding with a smile on her face. 

"Correct, as I expected from you." After that, the girl zoned out again, her pulling her phone out of her desk. Her headache had mostly gone away at this point, her taking medicine discreetly as she walked into class. Her phone vibrated slightly, but instead of it being Goro, it was Ryuji, Cecelia glancing at the blonde. 

**Ryuji:** Today's the big day

 **Cecelia:** ryuji, while i agree with you, please pay attention. this stuff is important

 **Ryuji:** Eh, who gives a shit. You already answered a question, so it's not like she's gonna call on me. 

Cecelia sighed at that, her doodling in the margins of her notebook as she waited for the other persona users to respond. She didn't feel like getting into an argument with the blonde over a subject, but she made a mental note to bring it up later. 

**Ann:** You know, Cecelia is right, Ryuji.  
**Ann:** She does have the top scores in our class for a reason. 

**Ryuji:** I can't even focus, I'm too excited.  
**Ryuji:** Today's the day where we get to take Kamoshida down and act as phantom thieves! 

**Cecelia:** phantom thieves…? where did that come from?

 **Akira:** Morgana came up with it. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts is the full name.

 **Cecelia:** ah, makes sense. it's rather fitting.  
**Cecelia:** but that's beside the point. i take it we're still meeting up on the roof?

 **Ann:** Yep, we're gonna bring that bastard down once and for all. 

With that, the group chat died once again, all of the phantom thieves waiting in suspense for the school day to be over. 

\---

After the bell rang out, Cecelia grabbed her bag and took the steps two at a time to the rooftop, her heart hammering in her chest. She was feeling a lot of emotions about the events that were about to take place, not being able to put her finger on one specific one. Still, the girl was ready to end things and make sure no other students got hurt at the hands of Kamoshida, whether it be physically or mentally. 

Opening the door to the roof, she found Akira there, him standing with his hands in his pockets. The girl smiled at him, leaning up on the wall under the overhang next to him. "You look better than you did this morning." He said softly, Cecelia nodding. "Yeah, I took some medicine from Takemi. She truly knows what she's doing." The conversation died when the two blondes came onto the rooftop, Ann smiling at the vice-president and standing by her. Ryuji stood by Akira, the rain coming down in large sheets and preventing them from leaving the overhang.

Morgana jumped out of the onyx-eyed boy's bag, his tail swishing as he stood between the four other phantom thieves. "I take it everyone is ready?" The cat asked, the Shujin students nodding. "Good. I have already informed you all of the dangers of going through with this, but I can see that you are prepared to face them." Cecelia nodded, her blue eyes hard and her hands resting on her pale thighs. "We're going to do this no matter what. For everyone." Akira nodded at that, the four human phantom thieves pulling out their phones and activating the metaverse app. 

With a lurch, the world swirled around then and began to be covered with distortion, them being pulled into Kamoshida's Palace without any second thoughts.

\---

As the five persona users stood in front of the castle, Cecelia chewed the inside of her cheek. Her nerves were at an all-time high, and even Xenia's presence in the back of her mind did nothing to calm her down. Exhaling a breath she didn't know she was holding, she took in the outfits of the persona users around her, her attention drawn to the bright red outfit of Ann. "Ann, is that outfit comfortable?" She asked, noticing that it was mostly leather and skin tight. The blonde just played with a pigtail, her simply grumbling about it. "Not really, though it's manageable." She admitted, taking in the vice-president's outfit. "Yours is very pretty though. It suits you."

The four other phantom thieves turned their attention to the black-haired girl, her simply smiling and resting on of her silver, glove-covered, hands on her claymore. the other resting at her side. Eyebrows furrowed under the girl's grey mask at the code name, her turning to the boy wearing the trench coat with confusion shining in her blue eyes. "Joker?" Ann asked, looking at the three boys. 

"Mona thought it would be best for us to have codenames." Joker explained, the bipedal cat catching the attention of the rest of the thieves. "Yeah. He's Joker, I'm Skull and Morgana's Mona." Skull said with a grin on his face. Cecelia nodded, a faint smile growing on her face. "That makes sense." She said softly, her tilting her head slightly. "Does that mean Ann and I will get codenames as well?" She asked, Mona perking up. "Of course! We can't have two beautiful ladies running around with their identities easy to get." He purred as he said this, and the two blue-eyed girls looked at each other, Ann just sighing and Cecelia shaking her head slightly. 

Ryuji turned his attention to Ann, the red-clad woman just staring at him as if daring him to say anything inappropriate about the outfit. "Since you're dressed like that...why not Sexy Cat?" He suggested, Cecelia snorting at the rather stupid name. "Uh, hell no. No way that's happening." The blonde said, her resting her hands on her hips as she thought about it. "How about...Panther?" She suggested, Cecelia thinking about it. "I think it suits you." The vice-president stated, the blonde-haired girl smiling at her. "Why that one?" Skull asked, looking at the natural blonde with something unrecognizable shining in his eyes. "I don't know...because it sounds ferocious? Don't think too much into it, okay?!" The newly named Panther said, making the blonde-haired boy backpedal, his brown eyes widening slightly. 

The vice-president sweatdropped, her holding her grey, glove covered hands out. "There's no need to fight, we have everything figured out." She said, calming the two blondes. Joker just watched the three of them, a small smile visible on his face as he watched his teammates. "Lady Cecelia is very useful," Mona said to the phantom thief, him just nodding. As the two more intense members of the team calmed down, the vice-president just eyed them cautiously. 

"Okay, now that I'm settled, let's focus on Cecelia." Panther stated with a smile on her face. The vice-president nodded, her chewing the inside of her cheek. "I don't have any ideas. Though I'll admit, I'm not good at these kinds of things." She said sheepishly. The five phantom thieves thought for a moment before Skull spoke up, excitement in his eyes, "Oh! How about Ace?" He suggested, Cecelia's eyebrows raising at it. "Ace?" She repeated, the blonde boy just nodding. "Since ya dressed like a detective and shit." He said, Panther smacking him. "Don't judge her based off her outfit, you moron!" The blonde said, Ryuji just slumping slightly. "You can be so tactless, Skull," Mona said, making the girl frown. "Hey, it was a good suggestion." She said softly, her feeling bad for the boy. 

"How about Luna?" Akira spoke up, Cecelia turning her attention towards him. "Luna, huh." The vice-president said a faint smile on her face at the name. "Oh, I get it!" Ann said, clapping her hands together. "You helped us find our way like a moon in the night." She said, proud of herself for coming up with the hidden meaning behind the codename. It made the girl flush slightly, her saying, "I like it." With that, her blue eyes met Joker's onyx, him smirking and simply nodding at the vice-president. 

\---

The five phantom thieves were stationed in a safe room. Luna was sitting in a chair, her absentmindedly playing with one of her braids while the four other persona users discussed things quietly amongst themselves. She was currently doing a double-check of their supplies, her blue eyes darting over the piles of stuff and making mental notes. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, the blue-eyed girl looked up, finding Joker staring at her. "Everything okay?" She asked, her eyes shining underneath her grey mask. He simply nodded, him sitting down in a chair next to the girl and crossing one of his legs over the other. 

"Just wanted to see how things were going." He said, him placing his hands on the table. The vice-president nodded, her expression unreadable as she organized the rest of the supplies. They had gotten through a big chunk of Kamoshida's Palace at this point, and the shadows were getting stronger, so the five of them thought it would be best to rest in a safe room for a bit, considering time didn't pass in this world. 

"Hey everyone, listen up," Mona said, capturing the attention of the persona users. "From this point on, security will be higher. That's why we need to move to a smaller group, as to not draw attention to ourselves." Luna nodded, her blue eyes hard. That made sense, in fact, sometimes she wondered how they hadn't drawn more attention to themselves by the fact that Skull and Mona tended to bicker about everything under the sun. "We should go in a group of four, to make sure we have all our bases covered. And I'll leave that to Joker to decide, he is the first one to awaken to his persona after all, and he can possess multiple personas."

Skull, Luna, and Panther nodded, them having no complaints as electing the frizzy-haired boy as their leader, at least for the investigation of this palace. The vice-president had faith in the boy's abilities also, her almost dropping her claymore in shock. It was truly fascinating, the way the boy's eyes turned golden as he screamed his newly acquired personas names. "I take it you're alright with that, Joker?" The mask-wearing boy nodded at Luna's statement, his lips quirking into the hint of a smile at the girl's concern. The blue-eyed girl nodded back, her placing the supplies back into the large bag that travelled from safe room to safe room even though they only left it in the first one they encountered. 

Resting back on the chair, the black-eyed girl just watched their newly elected leader think things through. "Luna, Panther, and Skull. You're with me. Mona, do you mind focusing on support?" Joker asked, the cat nodding. "Okay, I think that will be good. How's everyone feeling?" The vice-president asked, her blue eyes darting from each persona user. After she got words of confirmation from each of them, the girl smiled, happy that everyone was doing well. 

"What about you, Luna? You have been taking the most hits out of all of us." Panther asked, playing with a pigtail. At this, the black-haired girl just nodded, her trying to shrug off the concerned gazes of both the blonde girl and Joker. “I’m fine now, Xenia’s healing helped a lot.” She said, her trying to convince them. “Really, I am. I promise. I’ll tell you all if I need a break.” She continued, the onyx-eyed boy just staring at her. She just offered him a weak smile in response, her opening the door to the safe room.

The four thieves continued with a little talk between them; the Shujin students wanted nothing more than to secure the infiltration route and change Kamoshida’s heart as soon as possible. Luna knew what they were doing wasn’t in vain; she’s helping people that are too afraid to speak. She used to be like that, the calm and complacent vice-president that only followed orders. She wasn’t that person anymore, and she had the thieves around to help her not stray for her true self ever again.

\---

Entering the chapel area of the castle, the four present persona users did a double-take as the distortion flickered around them, showing the gym at the normal Shujin Academy. “It’s because he thinks of the gym as the place where he’s worshipped,” The vice-president said bitterly, her hand reaching for her claymore on instinct. She had a bad feeling about this, and she was wide and on alert. The other three members of the team looked at the blue-eyed girl, seeing the way she reacted to the area. “Luna, ya okay?” Ryuji asked, the persona user not facing him. “We’re not alone.” She said grimly, her drawing her sword. “Whaddya mean by that? There’s no shadows-” He trailed off when he saw the cognitive version of the vice-president walk down the aisle of the chapel, that same smug smirk on her face.

The two girls instantly got into a fighting position, Panther reading her whip. “Is that really what the bastard thinks of me?” Luna asked, ready to summon her persona and launch every attack she had on the other version of herself. “I think so. Trust me, we’re both in the same boat here.” The blonde girl said, shivering at the mental image of her in a leopard-print, hot-pink bikini. “Joker? What’s your call?” The model called out, both girls looking back.

Both of the boys were entranced by the girl’s appearance, Joker’s eyes roaming the exposed skin of the girl. “Damn…” Was all Skull said, him stuck on the way the pale legs of the girl were exposed when she walked, the silver skirt not covering much. The onyx eyed boy swallowed thickly, blood rushing to his face. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen the cognitive version of the vice-president before, he just hadn’t looked at her like this. Seeing curves that the boy had never seen before made him flush, him wondering why the girl didn’t show them off more. “Oh my god, you two are insufferable,” Luna said, rolling her blue eyes at the boys. Panther huffed in agreement, her just stomping her heeled foot at the actions of the two. “Will you two cut it out?!”

“Hm, it seems that your playmates like me better than they like both of you.” Cognitive Cecelia smirked, marigold coloured eyes narrowing at the two boys. The head of guards still held her broadsword with ease, it resting lazily in her grip. “You know, I wish I could play with you some more, it would be fu-” 

Luna had decided she had enough of the other version of herself at this exact moment, her pulling her gun out of her heeled boot and shooting at the girl, it ending up in her leg. “What the hell?!” The other her cried, golden eyes meeting the blue of her real-world counterpart. “Shut up. I’m tired of you.” She growled, snapping the boys out of their fantasies and spurring them into action. Standing next to the gun-wielding girl, Joker pulled out his dagger, watching the vice-president. “I am not Kamoshida’s bitch, nor will I ever be.” The blue-eyed girl spat out, the other her simply just watching with an amused expression in her marigold eyes. 

“Very well. I want to see if the other me is truly worth King Kamoshida’s time.” With that, Cognitive Cecelia drew her broadsword, the five members of the chapel entering a fight. Luna would admit, fighting herself was much easier when she had a handicap- that handicap being a bullet in the head of guard’s leg. She, Panther, Skull, and Joker battered down the other her, them only halting when Cognitive Cecelia stood in front of them clutching her side, obviously weakened. Luna looked towards the onyx-eyed boy for unspoken permission to deal the last blow. The boy nodded in response, the girl smirking underneath her grey mask. Gripping said mask, the girl screamed her persona’s name, the Saint appearing behind with a flash of blue flames.

“Kahoua!” The girl cried, the saint opening her hands and a heavenly light erupting from them. With this, the head of guards was knocked off of her feet. Instead of commencing an All-Out Attack, however, Joker just watched as the persona user walked forward, holding her claymore in her palm. Her heeled boots clicked on the floor of the chapel, the other three persona users watching the scene unfold. 

Luna placed the point of her claymore underneath the girl’s chin, an inextinguishable fire shining in her blue eyes. “Any last words?” She asked the cognitive version of herself who was simply staring at her with malice in her gaze. Not letting the other her say anything, the mask-wearing girl simply stabbed her claymore through the other girl’s heart, her disappearing in a cloud of dust that made the girl want to cough. Simply sheathing her sword, the blue-eyed girl walked back to the other three phantom thieves, them staring at her in shock. “Remind me to never get on your bad side.” Panther said simply, the vice-president just sweatdropping. “That was amazing work, Luna!” Mona said, his appearance startling the other persona users. “What the fuck are ya doing here?” Skull said in shock, the cat vowing earlier to stay in the safe rooms and offer support remotely. “There’s something important around here...I think.” The cat said, Joker just staring unblinkingly at the bipedal feline. 

“Again with the, “I think” shit?” The blonde boy sighed, him slumping his shoulders. Before the cat could open his mouth to argue, Joker pulled out his grappling hook, him grappling up to the rafters without a word. Luna followed him without hesitation, pulling out her grappling hook and aiming for the same spot where the trench-coat wearing boy put his. Mona had given the four persona users grappling hooks earlier when they encountered a broken staircase, the vice-president enjoying the adrenaline rush she got from using it. Landing next to the boy with little noise, the girl looked across the rafters, seeing a door covered in vines. “500 yen that’s what Mona was noticing.” She joked, earning a light laugh from Joker as the three other persona users joined them.

Quickly navigating themselves so the five persona users were in front of the vine-covered door, Joker used his dagger to cut through the vines, them landing at his feet. Pushing the door opened, the black-haired girl furrowed her brows at the sight. She could sense the feeling that Mona sensed earlier, it almost being too much for the vice-president. It made the girl’s head spin and every nerve light up at the same time, her blinking rapidly to try to stop her vision from spinning. The black-haired boy saw this, him placing a gloved hand on the jacket covered girl’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” He asked softly, keeping his voice low to not alert the other thieves. Luna nodded, her face paler than normal. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m reacting to this room.” She said softly, her pulling her blue-eyes away from the concerned onyx and instead focusing on the brown, plant looking thing in the centre of the rectangular room. All five thieves walked up towards it, a red-gloved hand still hovering near the body of the vice-president just in case her condition got worse.”What is it?” _And why is it making me react like this?_

“That, Luna, is a will seed,” Mona said, the five persona users staring at it. It had the shape of a skull, except a red light was coming from the eye and mouth holes, a green stem sort of thing resting on the top of the “plant”. “It is a physical manifestation of cognitive desires, and there are three of them in this palace…I think.” The cat said sceptically, doubting himself. Rubbing her temples, the blue-eyed girl tried to ignore the headache that was growing with every minute that passed in this room. “Well, who cares what it is. Let’s just take the shit and move on, yeah?” Agreeing with Skull, Luna looked over at Joker, who was walking towards the will seed. Picking it up from the nerve-looking stem of the plant, he inspected it, frowning slightly. After pocketing it, a pink light erupted around all five of the persona users, energizing them slightly. It also got rid of the girl’s nausea, her perking up. 

Leaving the room, the five thieves continued onward, preparing to finish infiltrating the palace.

\---

Standing in front of the door labelled ‘TREASURE ROOM’ on the map, Luna couldn’t help but feel excited for what was to come next. The five thieves opened the door and took in the room, the floor being covered in gold bars and jewels and other expensive things. The vice-president’s eyes were wide as she took it all in, her looking around the room in shock. “Hey, what is this?” Panther asked, her staring at the shimmering air that was floating inches above a golden trophy. Walking towards it, Luna placed her hands in her pockets and stared at it. 

“That’s it! We finally found the treasure!” Mona cried, the black-haired girl furrowing her brows. “That cloudy thing..?” Joker trailed off, him speaking up from beside the vice-president. The girl chewed the inside of her cheek. She believed that it was indeed the treasure, but they couldn’t even hold it in the state it was currently in, let alone steal it. The cat turned to the trench-coat wearing boy, him having a grin on his face. “I was planning on telling you more when we got this far.” It said, Luna shifting her weight to one leg as she listened to the explanation that left the feline’s mouth. 

“Simply finding the treasure isn’t enough, we need to make it materialize for us to steal it.” Mona started, his tail flicking back and forth. All of the other thieves glanced at each other in confusion at that, Skull sitting down beside the standing cat. Reading into the unspoken question, the cat continued, “Desires have no physical form by nature. Hence, we need to make the person in the real world aware that their desires are a treasure.” The black-haired girl nodded at that, her opening her mouth to speak. “That makes sense. It’s like when you have a habit you want to break, you have to be aware that the habit is there first.” She said, using that as some sort of explanation. The vice-president knew it wasn’t exactly like that, but it gave her enough to base things off of. “So...how do we make Kamoshida know that we’re going to steal his treasure?” Panther asked, blue eyes captivating by the shimmering ball that was floating above the cat’s head.

“We warn them. Tell them that we’re going to steal their heart.” Mona stated confidently. “Ah, a calling card. It makes sense.” Luna said, instantly catching on. “That’s like totally something a phantom thief would do!” Skull said enthusiastically, a grin on his face. “Let’s give it a shot!” That made the vice-president smile slightly, amusement shining in her eyes. She ended up meeting eye contact with Joker during this, a small little smile appearing on his face also.

“Our infiltration route is secure. All that matters now is sending out the calling card in the real world, then coming back and stealing the treasure.” The cat said happily, him looking in between the four Shujin students. “So this is it, huh?” Panther asked out loud, Luna nodding. “We’ve made it.” She said, her excitement growing. They were almost there, and it wouldn’t be much longer until Kamoshida was gone for good. That was sweeter than anything the girl had ever eaten.

\---

Cecelia was now on the subway, preparing to go home and quickly get changed so she could head over to Goro’s. The detective prince agreed to meet the girl at the station, him suggesting the idea in the first place. At first, the vice-president teased him for offering, asking him if he believed she was that incompetent when it came to directions. He said no, but the girl just ended up smiling at the boy’s messages, her enjoying pushing his buttons.

While on the subway, the girl’s phone buzzed, it being the chatroom with her and the three other human persona users in it, Ryuji being the first one to speak usually. With some persuasion, he had elected himself to write the calling card, him wanting to get back at the gym teacher.

 **Ryuji:** I have so much I want to say on this fucking card, I don’t even know where to start.

Sighing, Cecelia typed out a reply, her thumbs darting over the screen.

 **Cecelia:** just be careful ryuji. don’t put anything specific enough so that it could be traced back to you, or any of us for that matter.  
**Cecelia:** we’d be royally screwed if that happened

 **Akira:** Cecelia’s right

 **Ann:** Yeah, and make it sound somewhat decent, alright?  
**Ann:** We only have one shot at this, so make it sound good.

 **Ryuji:** Do you guys not have any faith in me?

 **Cecelia:** we do, but there’s just simply a lot of risks with this  
**Cecelia:** i just want to make sure that we have all of our bases covered  
**Cecelia:** speaking of that, everyone rest up tonight. i have a feeling that tomorrow will be more straining than today

 **Ann:** You too. Are you going home?

 **Cecelia:** no, a family friend invited me over for a bit. i didn’t want to say no and have them ask any questions  
**Cecelia** : it’ll be okay though

 **Akira:** Just take care of yourself, we need you

With that the group chat went silent, the train speakers crackling to life and announcing that the passengers were at their stop. With this, the girl placed her phone into her bag and shouldered it, her quickly travelling home. Walking past LeBlanc, the girl saw the owner smoking outside, her lips turning into a smile and waving hello to the man. He said nothing in return and only waved back, watching the black-haired girl walk past him and in the direction of her home.

Unlocking the door and petting Minako, the girl quickly took off her shoes and bounded upstairs to her room, throwing her school bag onto her bed. Grabbing a pair of jeans from her dresser and the sweater that she wore when she was with Ann, the girl changed into the outfit, her also tugging at the braids and letting her curls come free. They had become a mess during their infiltration of the palace, and she didn’t have enough time nor patience to redo them right now. Running her hand through them to try to smooth them slightly, the girl grabbed her purse and placed her phone and wallet into it. She also grabbed Goro’s shirt and jacket for her to return them, her folding them and placing them into her purse.

Writing a note to her father and placing it on the dining room table, Cecelia slid on her shoes and left the house, her exhaling a breath as she closed and locked the door. As she walked to the station, she couldn’t help but wonder what this encounter with the boy would bring, for it seemed like each interaction left her more confused than the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so so so sorry for such a late update, it makes me feel really bad. this week was just extremely long and tiring, and writing out the infiltration was harder than i thought it would be, and not my favourite to write, so i ended up losing motivation very fast. but, what matters most is that we're past that now, and things should be smoother from here. i apologize again for being so slow with it, i simply want to submit my best work and it's been a tough week for that. than you all for your support, and i promise it won't happen again.


	14. 13 - far from perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia goes on the run, has a breakdown, ties up loose ends, and breaks into a school

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the note at the bottom; it has an important question. Hope you enjoy!

Drumming her fingers on her clothed thigh, Cecelia Akamatsu chewed the inside of her cheek as the subway she was currently on pulled up to the station, her blue eyes remaining hyper-focused on the doors of the train. She chewed the inside of her cheek as it slowed to a stop, realising her grip on the metal bar that was above her. She was nervous, and she didn’t know why. It wasn’t as if the vice-president hadn’t hung with the detective prince before, especially at his apartment, but her heart pounded heavily in her chest- the normally distant drumming a full-blown parade. The vice-president had an uncanny ability to shove her emotions down until she was truly alone, but it wasn’t working this time, and, if anything, that made the girl want to break down even more. 

When the subway train finally stopped, the blue-eyed girl resisted the urge to groan as she willed her sore legs to leave the train. Though she wouldn’t admit it, she was extremely exhausted, and every muscle in her body seemed to scream in protest to her going out to do something after the lengthy infiltration. Small bruises also dusted the girl’s arms and legs, them being missed by her and Ann’s healing spells as they cast them periodically. Running a hand through her curls, the blue-eyed girl managed to pull up a smile on her pink lips as she made eye contact with the detective prince, walking towards him with her legs screaming in protest.

“I’m glad you could make it,” was what the detective said, eyes shutting with a smile on his face. Blue eyes shined with happiness at the boy, her stopping in front of him, her nerves disappearing slightly when she was with the detective prince. “Of course, you act like I do this out of pity.” She said, rolling her eyes with an amused smile on her face. Goro just let out a light laugh at that, the two high schoolers walking side by side as they took the stairs to exit the subway. He didn’t have his briefcase with him, which surprised the girl slightly, but she supposed he didn’t need it if he was just picking her up and walking back to his apartment. A comfortable silence fell between the two teenagers, the setting sun casting an orange light on the two of them. All that Cecelia heard was their feet hitting the sidewalk softly, and the laughter and small talk of pedestrians around them. It put the girl at peace, and she momentarily forgot the day’s events, them shoved into a small part of her mind that she didn’t like to access all that much.

Everything with Kamoshida was going as smoothly as she wanted it to- even with the unexpected twist of having to send the calling card. She didn’t know when they were doing that because they’re letting Akira decide, but she had faith in the glasses-wearing boy. He would do it when he thinks is right, and the vice-president would support him in that decision wholeheartedly. The blue-eyed girl wondered if it was right to view the boy in rose-coloured glasses, but she had learned in the past week and a half to listen to her gut, and her gut was telling her to believe in him. So she was, and she was sure everything would turn out okay. The only thing she wanted to do was to check on Mishima, the blue-haired boy finally looking somewhat okay again, and she quickly decided to check on him during lunch tomorrow. 

She also wanted to visit Suzui-san, because the psychiatric hospital she was placed in deemed she was mentally stable enough to have multiple visitors, at least that’s what Ann told her through text when the vice-president asked. She figured she could go with the blonde, but she did want to intrude on the two girls. Until the girl’s suicide attempt, she didn’t know the ex-volleyball member very well, the two of them only greeting each other if they happened to see each other in the hallways. Chewing on the inside of her cheek, the blue-eyed girl sighed, her trying to sort through her thoughts. 

Sensing the mood change in the blue-eyed girl, Goro glanced slightly at his companion, brown eyes looking red due to the setting sun. “What’s on your mind?” He asked softly, startling the vice-president and making her look at him with wide eyes. Managing a weak smile, the girl tried to ignore the fact that the detective prince just _knew_ that she was faking, her smile not reaching her eyes. “It’s nothing. Just duties.” She replied dismissively, her not wanting to ruin the peace that filled the space between the two of them. The pleasant smile that was on the boy’s face fell instantly, his eyes darkening and looking a dark crimson though they were naturally brown. “Cecelia, you’re an awful liar.” He stated and the girl sighed, opening her mouth to come up with a snarky reply, but a high-pitched voice stopped her.

“Is that Akechi-kun?!”

At that, the two highschoolers stopped fast in their tracks, blue eyes meeting reddish brown. Cecelia just tilted her head slightly, instantly deducing that it was one of the boy’s “adoring fans”. She also watched Goro’s face fall, him hissing out “shit” as he realized what was going on. Blue eyes glanced around, seeing the girl with a group of her friends and pointing to the two teenagers. They were saying more stuff that the girl was tuning out, her shouldering her purse as she glanced around the street. “I take it you don’t want to see them?” She asked quietly, the boy simply nodding. “They can be rather...annoying, for lack of a better word.” The vice-president nodded her switching over to her “take no shit” mode as she realized the complete situation. She also realized that it would be bad if they saw her with the detective price, knowing how fast it would be blown out of proportion. “How fast can you run?” She asked, startling the chestnut-haired boy. “Excuse me?” He asked incredulously, Cecelia just looking at him with no amusement in her eyes. Simply rolling her eyes, the girl grabbed his hand, pulling him along. “If you don’t want them to catch us, I suggest you keep up.” She said, breaking out into a run.

\---

The two of them ran back in the direction at which they came from, the vice-president leading Goro into backstreets to throw his fangirls off of their tails. Her grip on the boy’s hand was still strong, and it only tightened when she glanced behind the two of them and saw a group of approximately four girls running after them. They wore the uniforms of Shujin students, and the detective wondered if the blue-eyed girl knew them, her being the vice-president of the student council. His brown eyes met her blue, and he swore he saw a twinkle of amusement flash in them. Was she enjoying this?

He was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts, figuratively and literally, when he was tugged into an alleyway, the two of them barely managing to fit. Cecelia opened her mouth to speak, but the detective prince placed a gloved hand over her pink lips, the vice-president simply glaring at him. However, the anger left her eyes when she heard the footsteps of the four girls, her tugging herself into the alleyway, and in turn, tugging her closer to the chestnut-haired boy. Removing his hand from the girl’s mouth, the two of them held their breath as they heard the girl’s stop in her tracks. “Are you sure they went this way?” One of them asked, it being the one that spotted the boy in the first place. Another girl hummed in response, her speaking up. “Yes, and he had that bitch with him. It almost looked like Akamatsu-senpai.” She said darkly, Goro noticing the blue-eyed girl that was pushed up against him flinch at the derogatory word. Anger filled the boy’s veins when he saw the girl’s reaction, and he resisted the urge to step out of the small space and give the girls a piece of his mind.

“Well, they’re not here. Let’s just leave it, Kana-chan.” Another girl spoke up, her voice softer than the others that had spoken so far. The detective prince assumed the other girl agreed with her because the four of them soon left the space, the two of them waiting in their hiding spot a moment longer. Without adrenaline coursing through his veins, he truly realized how close the girl was to him, him feeling the way her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath. Finally looking at the girl, the detective stopped in his tracks as he watched the Shujin student peer out of the space, her blue eyes glowing underneath the artificial lights. “I think we’re good.” She said softly, quickly shuffling out of the space. Goro stared at the girl as she investigated the alleyway, a small smile filling his face. Pulling himself out of the space moments later, he let out a chuckle, leaning against the wall. “You’re surprisingly good at this, my dear.” 

Catching Cecelia’s attention, she whipped around and just rolled her eyes, her walking towards him. He wouldn’t lie, he was captivated by the way the light of a streetlamp reflected behind her, almost making her look ethereal, the way it shined off of her black curls. “Yeah, you owe me one now.” Was all she said, staring at the detective prince with a smile on her face. Not waiting for a response from the boy and simply turned and left the backstreets, him not noticing the way the girl’s smile slid off of her face and her blue eyes went dark.

\---

The vice-president wouldn’t lie, ever since she encountered Goro’s fans, she had a bitter taste in her mouth, even when the two had entered the apartment. It was as it normally was, the only exception was papers strewn across the glass coffee table in front of the leather couch, Cecelia assuming that they were about a case. She also heard the detective talking off in the distance, her blue eyes dead. She should listen, she should pay attention. That’s what good people did, right?

Hearing one of the first-years at Shujin Academy call her a bitch, it made her more upset than she knew it should. It reminded her of too many things, too many bad memories that threatened to catch the girl’s head on fire, her hands shaking as she tried to listen to the pleasant boy that was talking to her. He was talking about his interview, right? That’s what she asked about, her remembering that little thing when he unlocked his apartment, him starting to talk as the two of them slid off their shoes. She should pay attention to him- he’s the one that went out of his way to ask her over and prepare dinner. She didn’t even taste the food when she ate it, her instead just trying to shove her emotions down again. The two of them were sitting on the couch now, two cups of tea in white mugs being made by him. She was holding hers in her hands, trying to get the warmth to seep into her body while Goro’s sat on the coffee table, him apologizing for the papers.

“Cecelia.” The boy’s voice was hard, it making her look up with a startled expression on her face. A stray curl fell from where it was and covered her face, the girl just throwing on a very fake smile. “Yes, Goro?” She asked, trying to stop her voice from shaking with no avail. The boy picked up on it, narrowing his brown eyes as he took in the girl, from the way she was curled in on herself and the way that she was chewing the inside of her cheek, a nervous tic. “You’re not okay.” Is what he said softly, the girl just releasing a breath and putting her mug on the coffee table. She didn’t even know how to respond, her just staying silent. 

He called her name when he noticed her zoning out again, him pulling the shaking girl closer to him and brushing the stray curl back behind her ear. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked softly, the vice-president just shaking her head. He hummed in response, wrapping his arms around the girl. She attempted to loosen some of her tense muscles, her resting her head on his chest. She shouldn’t be like this, she should be perfect. This was not the time for this, she shouldn’t be showing this side of her. It was improper, she was the vice-president after all. She was meant to help people, not have people help her. She couldn’t be that weak girl again, she just _couldn’t._

Her attention was pulled from her thoughts as the boy turned the TV on, it automatically being the news channel. Cecelia thought that made sense, due to Goro being who he was, and she normally would tease him about it, but she couldn’t think of anything as of right now.

“Breaking news at nine, Shujin vice-president saves another student from a suicide attempt.” The newscaster’s voice pulled the girl out of her thoughts, feeling the detective prince tighten his arms around her. The reporter was still on the screen, the woman having a fake smile on her face. Both of Cecelia’s and Suzui-san’s portraits were in the right-hand corner of the screen, it being taken from the student profile of both girls. She froze like a deer in headlights at this, her blue eyes wide as she took in the fact that she was on the news. Why was this happening now? It should have been broadcasted last week, due to that being when it happened.

As the reporter droned on, the girl thought about it, the wheels in her head turning. If she had to assume, it was because Kobayakawa originally didn’t want the story to get out, the round man wanting to keep the school’s reputation in check. Someone must have told the news, but who? She knew it wasn’t her father, due to him expressing a distaste for the media and the fact that they had a tendency to blow things out of proportion, and she wasn’t sure if Suzui-san’s parents would even want to let it be known that their daughter tried to commit suicide, let alone have it broadcasted throughout Japan.

_Broadcasted throughout Japan._ That thought stuck with the vice-president, her stomach doing flips. She didn’t want it to get this big, she didn’t want to be known. Now it’s all she would be known for, the girl who saved another student from jumping off the school roof. And it’s not as if the girl blended in easily, her hair was curly and she had blue eyes that were unnatural for Japanese girls. The girl’s breath hitched, her anxiety washing up in full force. What would happen if she found out?

Tears left the girl’s blue eyes as she stared at the video from someone’s phone, it being of her climbing the fence and grabbing onto Suzui-san. They couldn’t hear what the vice-president was saying in the video, but they could see the fear in her eyes and the crimson that erupted in ribbons from the girl’s hand. She began to shake, even more, the girl digging her nails into her palms and biting her tongue as she tried to prevent herself from sobbing. It was too much, It was all too much.

Goro caught on at this point, him looking at the girl and his brown eyes widening. He shut off the TV and pulled the girl into a proper hug, him rubbing small circles into the girl’s clothed back. “Breathe, Lia. It’s okay.” He murmured, the use of the nickname making the girl lose whatever control she had left and full-on sob into the boy’s shirt. “I’m so sorry.” Is what she kept repeating as she gasped for air, the boy just repeating that it was okay. The detective prince said nothing else, him just rubbing small circles into the girls back.

After a few minutes of this, Cecelia picked herself up, sniffling slightly. Overall, she felt drained and dizzy, and her eyes felt swollen, but she felt much better. The detective smiled at her at this, him sifting slightly to allow the two of them to sit up. “Better?” He asked as he looked at the blue-eyed vice-president. She nodded, using the sleeve of her sweater to wipe excess tears off of her face. “I’m sorry again. You shouldn’t have seen that side of me.” She said, sniffling again. Goro just chuckled at that, his expression soft and his brown-eyes shining underneath the ceiling lights. “You are quite alright. This last week has been extremely hectic for you, has it not?” Seeing the girl nod, the boy continued, “you are completely allowed to feel things, my dear.” With that, the boy’s smile fell for a second, his eyes darkening to a crimson once again. Seeing it, the girl who just had a mental breakdown tilted her head slightly, red-rimmed eyes narrowing. “Are you okay, Goro?” She asked softly, snapping the boy out of whatever thought he had happened to have.

Smiling once again, he turned his attention back to the girl, who was picking up her (now cold) tea and drinking it. “Everything’s fine.” he simply said, not continuing the conversation. Cecelia just looked at him, not necessarily believing him but too tired to argue the fact. She didn't think she could handle an argument either, everything felt so raw, she was afraid that she would break down again. Simply just running a hand through her curls, the girl rested her hands on her lap, them aching slightly from being held into a fist for so long. “Oh! I have your stuff.” The vice-president remembered, her standing up from the couch on uneven legs. The detective prince stood up soon after, him holding his hands out just in case the girl stumbled. After he saw that she wouldn’t fall, he simply put his hands in his pockets and followed the girl to her purse, it resting on the kitchen table.

Pulling out the shirt and the jacket, the girl handed them to Goro, who was watching her with an unreadable expression in his brown eyes. “Thank you for letting me borrow them, I’m sorry I kept them from you for so long.” She said sheepishly, her pale face lighting up from embarrassment slightly. The detective prince noticed this and chuckled, taking them from the girl. At this point, the girl also noticed the tear stains that had made the boy’s dress shirt translucent, her heart twisting when she saw it. “I’m also sorry about your shirt.” She said, the chestnut-haired boy looking down. “Don’t worry about it, Cecelia.” Was what he said with a smile, the two of them walking into the bedroom of the detective prince. He picked up the girl’s white sweater from where it was neatly folded on the dresser, the blue-eyed girl taking it and placing it in her purse gingerly.

“I must thank you again, for everything,” Cecelia said softly, her blue eyes meeting Goro’s brown. He just simply nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips. Pulling out his phone and checking the time, he frowned slightly. “You are quite welcome, my dear. Though, the subways are going to close soon. Do you mind me accompanying you to the station?” 

\---

The next day Cecelia still felt a little out of it, Makoto picking up on it when she walked into the student-council room that morning. The two worked in silence, the ruby-eyed girl not starting a conversation and the black-haired vice-president too tired to put up a facade to act like she was perfectly fine. She felt bad about it, but she didn’t know how to word it without making the brunette feel sympathetic. The last thing she needed or wanted was sympathy, and the two members had larger things to worry about. 

It was now lunchtime, and the vice-president was sitting in classroom 2-D with the rest of the phantom thieves, her listening to Ann and Ryuji bicker back and forth. “I just don’t see the need! We’re doing bigger things now, and who gives a shit?” The blonde-haired boy said with a mouthful of food, the blue-eyed girl just watching the two with an amused expression on her face. “It’s still important! Cecelia, tell him.” Ann cried back, angrily placing a piece of food into her mouth. The vice-president just sighed, her swallowing her last piece of sushi before speaking up. “Doing your work is important, Ryuji. While it may not seem like it, all the information we’re acquiring now will come back in the future.” She said, closing her container with a click. “I can always help you study if you need it.” She added softly.

Akira perked up at this, him looking optimistic at the offer. “Really?” He asked and the girl nodded, her drinking some of the tea that she bought out of the vending machine in the courtyard when lunch started. “Yeah. It would be easier for me to help you too since I could just come by LeBlanc after work or whenever you needed me.” She said after thinking about it for a moment. “In fact, I can come over tonight if you need it.” The offer was made simply because her boss gave her the day off, claiming that the rainy weather makes fewer people come to the store. The vice-president knew that was a lie, but she appreciated the offer nonetheless, and she planned to use the time to catch up on homework that she was unable to do yesterday. “Do you mind?” the onyx-eyed boy asked softly, the girl just smiling and shaking her head. 

The two blondes watched the interaction between the two black-haired students with the same expression on their face, Ann playing with a pigtail. The two persona users caught on and looked towards their blonde friends, Cecelia simply raising an eyebrow. The model just shrugged and sipped her drink, her just winking at the vice-president. Shaking her head, the girl just rolled her eyes, her finishing her tea. “Are we going to the hideout today? I need to know so I don’t just leave school.” The black-haired girl asked softly, her playing with a curl. Akira nodded at that, him pushing his glasses up at that. The vice-president nodded, a smile forming on her face. “Good. We’re almost there guys.”

With that statement, the four thieves nodded to each other, Morgana asleep in the onyx-eyed boy’s desk. Cecelia had given the cat a piece of her sushi earlier, taking it and eating it eagerly. The vice-president had sweatdropped at the cries from its mouth, stating that it was miles better than the canned cat food that he got at the cafe, Akira simply stating that it’s all that Sojiro would buy. Ryuji then yelled at the cat to quiet down, because even though there weren’t many students in the classroom due to it being lunch, the meowing that was emitting from the boy’s desk would make someone suspicious. Ann then argued that the blonde boy yelling about it would be even more suspicious, and then the two blondes bickered for a large majority of the lunch.

When the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, Ryuji and Cecelia said their goodbyes to the three other thieves, Morgana awake at this point. However, instead of heading straight into her classroom, the girl stood in the hallway for a moment, looking for a certain blue-haired boy. When she found him, the vice-president tapping him on the shoulder, startling him. “I’m sorry to bother you, but do you mind coming with me for a moment? I promise you're not in trouble, nor will you get in trouble for being with me.” The black-haired girl said sweetly, throwing on her vice-president smile. Looking sceptical, the bruised boy simply nodded, following the vice-president to the student council room.

Opening the door, the girl gestured to the chair that Makoto normally sat at, her sitting down in the one across from it. Mishima simply nodded, him sitting down in the chair with a wince that didn’t go unnoticed. “W-What am I here for?” The boy stuttered out, fear shining in his brown eyes. The vice-president just smiled sweetly, her trying to calm the boy. “I just want to check in on you, Mishima-kun. The way you got hit at the rally worried me, and the fact that you have so many bruises. I just want to see if you were okay, and, as I said earlier, you’re not in any trouble.” At that, the volleyball member seemed to relax a bit, him resting his hands on the table. Cecelia noticed that, in addition to the bruises, he had dark bags underneath his eyes, the girl pursing her lips at them. Had he been sleeping?

“T-thank you. N-not many people have asked me that, especially since the fact that I’m probably going to get expelled.” The boy admitted, the girl simply nodding at the statement. She hadn’t forgotten about that, because Akira and Ryuji were now her close friends, but the fact that the threat was extended to him simply for being there made the girl’s heart hurt. “I understand that. And just so you know, I’m doing everything in my power to try to prevent the three of you from getting expelled.” She said, it being the truth. Just in case the change of heart didn’t work, the vice-president researching to see if there was something she could do just in case things went south. She wasn’t going to lie, the thought of bribing Kamoshida was a possibility that had crossed her mind, but she just tried to shove that thought down. That was the last thing she would do, and even then, she’s not sure she would do it.

Mishima’s eyes widened at that, a hopeful smile on his face. “Thank you, Akamatsu-senpai.” Was all he said, Cecelia smiling and nodding. Thinking for a second, the girl also pulled out a pack of sticky notes and a pen, writing down her phone number and chat ID and passing it to the boy. “Here’s my contact information. Let me know if you need anything, okay? Even if it is after school. I’m here for you, and every student here.” She said, the boy looking at her outstretched hand and taking the note after a few seconds of deliberation. “Thank you, again.” He said, standing up and grabbing his bag. The girl nodded again, hearing her phone buzz. “You’re quite welcome, Mishima-kun. Ms. Kawakami is teaching you all this afternoon, correct?” Seeing the boy nodded at the question, she continued. “Just tell her you were with me, and, if she has any questions, to come find me.” With that the boy nodded and left, saying goodbye to the vice-president.

Smiling to herself, she pulled out her phone, frowning when it was a text from her father on his work phone. He rarely texted her while he was working, let alone on his work phone.

**Haruki:** Hey, how are you holding up?

**Cecelia:** fine, just got done talking with someone. is everything okay?

**Haruki:** Everything is fine, Lia. Just wanted to let you know that I’m thinking about you. You looked rough when you came home last night.  
 **Haruki:** I guessed that it had to do with the news report.

**Cecelia:** yeah, i was at goro’s when it came on.   
**Cecelia:** i wasn’t expecting it and it startled me, and it just left me with more questions  
 **Cecelia:** kobayakawa wouldn’t want something like that aired

**Haruki:** I know, from the way you described him, he doesn’t sound like the most pleasant man  
 **Haruki:** But we’ve done all that we can, so we just have to play our cards now.

**Cecelia:** i know, and i should be heading to class now.   
**Cecelia:** i love you, and stay safe

**Haruki:** I love you too, Lia. Call me if you need anything.

\---

It was now late evening, and the vice-president was at LeBlanc, textbooks spread out across the table in front of her. Akira was sitting down across from her, frowning at a math problem. An agitated sigh left his mouth, and it caused Cecelia to look up, blue eyes staring at him. “Do you need help?” She asked softly, him nodding and sliding the textbook over to the girl. At this, Morgana perked up, him sitting on the booth seat next to the black-haired girl, enjoying the occasional pets that he got from the female persona user.

The meeting they had before this went well, it only being a last-minute preparation and to make sure that Ryuji had everything under control. According to him, he did, and the glasses-wearing boy wasn’t sure if to believe him wholeheartedly or not. “You have the basics down, you just made a math error in the first couple steps, and that threw off your final answer.” Flipping the textbook around and pointing at his work with her pencil, the girl continued her explanation. “You have your values for x and y swapped.” She said and the boy nodded, grabbing his eraser from his bag and preparing to start again. “You know, you’re lucky you have Lady Cecelia to tutor you,” Morgana spoke from beside the girl, the glasses-wearing boy almost hearing the grin in the cat’s voice when he spoke again. “Without her, you would be a lost cause.” With that, the boy looked up from his paper and glared at the cat, Cecelia frowning at the statement. “Hey! Be nice, there’s no need for that.” She scolded, closing her textbook and finishing her coffee that Akira had made the two of them made earlier. “And what’s with the whole “Lady Cecelia” thing?” She asked, turning her attention to the cat once she saw that the onyx-eyed boy was doing just fine.

“It’s what you deserve, Lady Cecelia. You and Lady Ann deserve to be recognized for your elegance.” At that, the blue-eyed girl just raised an eyebrow, her slumping back in her seat. She had changed out of her uniform before coming here, and she was currently wearing jeans and a short-sleeved shirt that she had tucked into them, her jacket thrown over her school bag and it sitting on the booth seat next to her. She had also tied her hair up with a bright red ribbon, it being the same colour as Joker’s gloves when they were in the metaverse. “You act as if I’m all high and mighty.” She said in a questioning tone, both her and Akira’s phones buzzing from where they were on the table.

**Ryuji:** Yo, I need yalls help  
 **Ryuji:** I maybe didnt realize that getting into the school this late at night would be difficult

With that, Cecelia snorted, making the glasses-wearing boy smile and glance at her. Making eye contact with him, she just simply rolled her eyes and the blonde’s antics, her tying out a reply.

**Cecelia:** what do you need, ryuji?

**Akira:** We’re happy to help

**Ryuji:** For real? Thats fckng great  
 **Ryuji:** Can you guys come to the school?

Sighing at that and the spelling errors the boy made, Akira just glanced at the vice-president once again, her just shrugging. “I mean, it’s for the team.” Was her reasoning. “If we go now, we can make it by 11.” She added after glancing at the time on her phone. That made Akira nod, him just sitting back in the booth chair. Morgana was watching all of this go down by reading Cecelia’s phone screen, him just saying “of course” when he saw the initial text from the blonde boy. Looking at the vice-president again, he realized how tired she truly looked, her washing off her makeup when she got home to get changed. Making a mental note to ask her about it later, the onyx-eyed boy typed out a reply, him instantly followed up by the blue-eyed girl.

**Akira:** We’ll meet you there

**Cecelia:** and, just to be careful, wear something that you don’t normally wear   
**Cecelia:** the security cameras don’t usually come on until midnight, but just in case. cover your hair

**Ryuji:** Sweet, thanks

Closing their phones, Cecelia grabbed her jacket off of her school bag, looking at the glasses-wearing boy. “We should be fine, I just don’t want to take any chances.” She said softly, the boy just nodding. “Speaking of, will Sojiro let you out this late?” She asked, the boy freezing in his tracks. _Shit._ He hadn’t thought about his guardian the entire time the vice-president had been there, the barista leaving soon after she arrived. “It’ll be fine. Morgana can watch the store.” He said quickly, hoping that this didn’t blow up in his face later. It should be fine, after all, he was with the black-haired girl, and his guardian liked her, and she would be willing to help him out. 

The girl just nodded slowly, doubt shining through her blue eyes. It made the boy squirm, almost as if she was reading him like a book. “I suppose it’s fine, but this is the only time before he permits you. I don’t want you to push your luck.” She said, Akira nodding. Morgana didn’t seem happy with the arrangement. “What about me?!” He cried, jumping up onto the table. Petting the cat, the blue-eyed girl directed her attention to it. “You need to stay here, it’s too much of a risk. If you do, I’ll buy you salmon the next time I go to the store.” The cat seemed complacent with the bribe, purring and jumping off of the table. 

Tugging on her jacket, the girl looked at the glasses-wearing boy with an unspoken question shining in her blue eyes, which he simply just nodded in response to. With that, the girl grabbed her wallet and her phone off of the table and shoved them into the back pocket of her jeans, her leaving them both. With that, the two left the cafe, preparing to sneak into Shujin Academy.

\---

Standing in front of the school, Akira just simply stared at it, it looking, even more, intimidating in the dark. Cecelia stood next to him, her jacket zipped up despite the warm, late-April, air. The glasses-wearing boy did the same, him also tugging his hood over his head. He trusted the vice-president when she said that the cameras turned on at midnight, but just in case. If they found out he was the one sneaking into the school, everything would fall apart even faster than it had in the past.

“Yo, y’all made it,” Ryuji said, startling both black-haired persona users. At his voice, the vice-president literally jumped backwards, her staring at the blonde with narrowed blue eyes. “Jesus fucking Christ Ryuji. Could you have at least texted?” The girl asked, trying to calm her racing heart. Both the male phantom thieves looked at the girl, surprised at her language, Akira’s eyes widening slightly as she pulled her hood over her head. He truly didn’t expect the girl to use language like that, at least to that extreme. “Sorry, m’ phone’s almost dead and I want to save the battery.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck apologetically. Turning his attention to the onyx-eyed boy, he was surprised to find the death-glare that the boy was giving the blonde. “Dude, the hell did I do?” He cried out, the vice-president shushing him.

“We need to be quiet. We’d be screwed if we got caught.” The girl said, her looking in between the two boys. “If this goes south we split up and exit the school as fast as possible, no matter what it takes, okay?” She asked, the two boys nodding. While Akira wouldn’t admit it out loud, he was intimated by the vice-president, even though she was a couple of inches shorter than him. “Y-Yes ma’am.” Ryuji stammered out, the girl looking satisfied at the two’s responses. Nodding, the girl just smiled serenely, it having a violent undertone. 

With that the girl turned around and walked towards the school, the two male persona users looking at each other. “Dude, she’s fuckin’ scary.” Was what Ryuji said, slumping his shoulders. “Just don’t get on her bad side, then.” is what the onyx-eyed boy said, following after the vice-president. “You too?!” Is what Ryuji muttered, him following after the other two students. 

\---

The three persona users were at the back of the school now, the vice-president having her flashlight on and hoping it wasn’t bright enough to alert anyone nearby. “The art room always has it’s windows open in order to let projects dry faster, so we’re in luck there.” She said quietly, gesturing to the open window that was a few feet above all of them. “If you boost me up, I can grab something that can let you guys in.” With that, the two boys nodded at each other, Akira interlocking his hands so that the girl could get a step up. Doing that, she grabbed onto the windowsill and pulled herself in, the persona users hearing her drop on the other side.

“We got lucky with her.” Was what Akira said, catching the blonde’s attention. “Remember how you said we couldn’t trust her?” He added, seeing the boy just roll his eyes. “Yeah, but that was before I realized she would break into a school for us.” He said just as a rope made of fabric that was hastily tied together fell from the window, the glasses-wearing boy seeing the blue eyes of Cecelia peer at them through the window. “Use it to get up, and I’ll pull you through.” She said, Ryuji nodding and doing just that. Akira followed after, surprised at the strength the girl had to pull both of them through the window. Landing on the desk that the vice-president moved to the window to give herself a boost, she just smiled at the glasses-wearing boy before pulling her makeshift rope through. 

Smiling back, the boy stepped off of the desk, turning on his phone flashlight. Once the black-haired girl stepped off the desk, he watched as she momentarily thought things through. “Let’s go to the student council room and talk there. It’s the last place people would look.” The two boys followed the girl out of the art room, them walking briskly throughout the hallways with flashlights on.

\---

Once Cecelia opened the door to the room and the two boy’s stepped inside, she closed the door and flicked on the lights, the three of them wincing at the sudden change in visibility and all of them taking off their hoods. “Ryuji, do you want help distributing the calling cards?” She asked as she sat down on the couch, blue eyes flicking between the two boys. The blonde just shook his head, a grin on his face. “Nah, I wanna do it myself.” He said, the girl just nodding. “There’s a stapler on the table for you to put them on bulletin boards. Be safe.” With a nod, he grabbed it and left, shutting the door behind him.

Letting out a yawn once the boy left, the girl gestured for Akira to sit next to her, relaxing into the fake leather couch. He did just that, watching the vice-president with an unreadable expression in his eyes. “You know, if someone told past me that I would be sneaking into my highschool in the middle of the night with two boys, I don’t think that I would believe them.” The girl joked, turning to the boy. He just let out a chuckle at that, earning a tired smile from the girl. Most of the adrenaline had left her body at this point, and she was crashing fast. Two days of staying out late plus having a breakdown yesterday had wiped out the girl.

“Are you tired?” The boy asked, the blue-eyed girl nodding in response. “Yeah, been a rough couple days.” Was all she said, her stifling another yawn. A silence fell between them for a second, the girl resisting the urge to close her eyes and fall asleep. “I saw the news.” Was what Akira said, Cecelia just groaning. “Yeah, me too. I didn’t even know they we’re gonna post something like that.” Was what she said, her closing her eyes. “Kobayakwa doesn’t give a shit about students, I’m sure you learned that when you arrived here from the way he treated you- I still feel bad about that. Anyways, he’s solely interested in the school reputation, and the fact that one of his students tried to kill herself, on school property no less, would not be good for it.” The girl just sighed her shifting on the couch to get more comfortable and opening her eyes, her finding the boy staring at her. “So, the fact that they aired it is baffling to me.”

He simply nodded, watching the girl. “Do you regret it?” He asked, and the girl just looked at him like he was stupid. “Not at all. I’d do it hundreds of times over if it meant people were safe. I know it was the right decision, and it led me to you guys, so not in the slightest.” Blushing at the praise, the boy noticed the girl was getting more and more sleepy as she talked. “All of this is so much bigger than we are, it’s hard to think things through anymore.” She said softly, letting out another yawn. “I know we’re doing the right thing though, and that’s what matters the most.” She concluded with a smile, the glasses-wearing boy smiling back.

“Do you want to sleep? I’ll wake you up when Ryuji gets back,” Akira offered, Cecelia nodding and shifting herself again, “You can also use my shoulder if you want.” He quickly added, the blue-eyed girl just looking at him for a second before shrugging and laying her head against it. “Thank you,” she sleepily mumbled, the boy just humming in response, her falling asleep soon after.

\---

Akira was happy with himself, him enjoying the fact that one of the people he trusted the most here was asleep on his shoulder. As he listened to the light snores that came from the girl, he thought about how absurd the whole situation was. In the past two weeks approximately, he had awoken to his “inner self”, met four people and a cat with the same power, and now was preparing to change a rapist gym teacher’s heart, all of this happening in a world that he managed to get to through an app on his phone. And now? He was currently sitting on a couch in his high school that he snuck into with a girl sleeping on his shoulder, the same girl being the vice-president of the student council yet extremely willing to do anything that would throw off the balance of the school.

He supposed that he and Cecelia were similar in a way, their desire to help people went bigger than people thought it would. After all, him helping a woman back in his hometown had landed him in major trouble, and it was the reason he was here now. He didn’t regret it in the slightest, but he often ended up wondering what would have happened if he just ignored the cries and went home. When he was first sentenced and his parents disowned him, he found himself indulging in that fantasy more often than he would admit, but now, it seems as if that was not as pleasant as he thought it would be, especially thanks to the vice-president who was currently asleep on his shoulder.

At that thought, Ryuji came bursting through the door, a grin on his face and the stapler in his hand. “I did it- oh.” He said, a smirk growing on his face at the sight before him, the grin turning even wider. “You make some moves or something while I was gone?” He teased, earning a glare from the boy. After putting the stapler on the table, and before Akira could react, the blonde pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket, taking a picture. “Oh, Ann’s gonna flip at that.” The sound and flash woke the vice-president up, her sitting up in an upright position. She looked confused for a second as if wondering where she was, but it all clicked and her eyes widened suddenly. “Ann’s gonna flip at what?” The girl asked as she stood up, cracking her neck. “Nothing,” was what Ryuji said, him still having the same grin on his face. The onyx-eyed boy stood up next to the girl, him just glaring at the boy and saying “Ryuji” threateningly. 

With that the boy was spurred into action, him swallowing thickly and his eyes going wide. “R-right. Let’s get out of here, yeah?” He asked before quickly turning around and leaving the student council room. The blue-eyed girl just looked at the boy with eyebrows furrowed, her sighing. 

\---

The two phantom thieves were back in Yongen-Jaya, them walking to the Akamatsu household just as it turned 12:15. “Shit,” the vice-president hissed, her stopping in her tracks. “I left my bag at the cafe.” Was what she said at the boy’s expression, him just shoving his hands in his pockets. “Leave it. I’ll make sure you get in tomorrow morning.” He said softly, the girl looking at him quizzically. “You getting sleep is more important, I’ll meet you outside of the cafe tomorrow, well, today.” He said, the girl just nodding and smiling at him.

As the two of them stopped at the door, Cecelia turned to the boy. “Thank you,” she said softly, tucking a stray curl that escaped her bun behind her ear. “I should be thanking you, Cecelia. You’ve done so much, and tonight proved that.” Akira replied with a smile, the girl flushing pink. “Get some sleep, okay? We have a big day tomorrow, and we need our leader to be able to think clearly.” The vice-president said as she opened the door, the boy just nodding. “You too, we need you.” Is what he said in reply.

It was only after the two exchanged their goodbyes and the blue-eyed girl shut the door behind herself that glasses-wearing boy turned around and walked back to the cafe, unable to hide the smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! This is the longest chapter so far, and it was extremely fun to write. I loved coming up with the scenario of Ryuji having to break into the school in order to get the card inside of the school because it's the only thing that would work logically.
> 
> Also, I have a question: who would you all like Cecelia's love interest be, and why? My plan is to make this book devoted to one of them and then have a "spin-off" with the other love interest, but would you all read something like that? Please leave your thoughts in the comments, I really would like to get all of you guy's opinion on something like this. Thank you for reading, and all the support! I really appreciate it and the next chapter will be up either later today or early in the morning tomorrow.


	15. 14 - the aeon and the fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia has a heart to heart with her father, she and Akira have another weird interaction, and the five thieves prepare themselves to fight Shadow Kamoshida

When Cecelia awoke, she instantly groaned the sunlight that was filtering through her translucent curtains splashing onto her white duvet and the ceiling. She didn’t even want to know what time it was- she was more concerned about the headache that was already forming at the base of her head, her shifting into a more upright position. Unplugging her phone, the girl frowned when she checked the time, the digital interface reading that it was 5:15. She didn’t have to be up for another hour, and a notification showed that her alarm was still set to wake her up at 6. Not questioning it, the girl just turned off her alarm and slid out of bed, her socked feet hitting the wooden floor with little noise. Minako awoke at that, but seeing that it was just the vice-president, she simply went back to sleep.

The black-haired girl yawned behind her hand as she walked downstairs, her knees cracking as she did so. Walking into the kitchen, her blue eyes widened as she saw her dad cooking, him dressed in flannel pyjama pants and a shirt from the police station. “Morning,” the girl said sleepily, grabbing a blackberry from the open carton and pushing herself up to sit on the counter next to her father. Haruki Akamatsu looked over at his daughter, a smile filling his features at seeing her. “Good morning, Lia. You’re up early.” He stated, glancing at the digital clock that was built into the stove. “Did you sleep alright?” He asked as he flipped the last pancake from the griddle onto the stack that was sitting on a plate beside him.

“Yeah, I’m just up I guess.” The girl said softly as she swung herself off of the counter and grabbed the silver tea kettle that had begun to whistle, her also turning off the burner and grabbing the handle with ease. Pouring the boiling water into two mugs, one being a dark blue and another being a storm-cloud grey. Both of the mugs already had tea bags in them, her fathers’ having a green tea bag, and Cecelias’ having peppermint. After doing this, the vice-president placed the kettle into the sink, the metal meeting metal as she set it down softly. “What’s the special occasion for all this?” the black-haired girl asked as she got out plates for the two of them, along with napkins and silverware. Her father laughed at that, him watching his daughter balance multiple things with a surprising amount of stability.

“I go into work later today; our schedules got switched up with everything. So, I thought we both deserved some actual decent breakfast.” The vice-president nodded at that, her setting the two’s places at the wooden table. Walking back into the kitchen, Cecelia grabbed both of the mugs and placed them down in their respective spots, the pyjama-clad girl sliding into her seat as her father put the pancakes and a bowl of fruit onto the table. Saying thank you to her father, the vice-president took a sip of her tea, letting her father serve himself first. “Shujin has come up quite a couple of times in the station.” He said as he handed his daughter the plate of pancakes, the girl stabbing two with her fork and placing it down in an empty spot.

“Really?” Was all she said as she grabbed the bowl of fruit and poured some onto her plate, her black eyebrows furrowing as she cut up her breakfast. Haruki hummed in response, him swallowing a mouthful of food before continuing. “Yeah, apparently they are going to start requesting that Principal Kobayakawa starts looking for a school counsellor if another issue arises.” Was all he simply said, the girl just nodding and looking at her father over her grey mug. “I also want you to consider the option of getting a therapist, Lia.”

Blue eyes widened at that, her looking at her father with confusion shining in her eyes. “Dad, where is this coming from?” She asked softly, her shoving a piece of pancake into her mouth as if to try to calm her racing thoughts. “I’m just worried about you. A lot has happened recently, and sometimes I wonder if you’re still upset about-”

Cecelia cut her father off in the middle of his sentence. She didn’t want to think about _her_ at all, her knowing what her father was going to say despite him not saying it. “I’m fine Dad. All of that happened years ago, and what happened with Suzui-san was a one-time thing.” She was still trying to convince herself of that, and that the girl was okay. She made a mental note to ask Ann if she could go visit her with the model today after they dealt with Kamoshida and the fact that they still had to steal the gym teacher’s treasure. But, if everything went according to plan, that shouldn’t be too exhausting for the vice-president, and, because time didn’t pass in the metaverse, the two female person users would still have plenty of time to visit the ex-volleyball member. 

Haruki looked at her and sighed, almost as if he knew that was what his daughter was going to say. “Nothing’s set in stone, I just want you to consider it. It’s not healthy to bottle everything up.” Simply nodding at her father, the two ate the rest of their breakfast in silence, the only sound being music that softly came through the speakers of the TV. After helping her father clean up and thanking him once again, the girl filled Minako’s food bowl and placed it down at it’s designated spot, the dog bounding downstairs at the call of her name. She then walked upstairs and into the bathroom, her grabbing her toothbrush and quickly brushing her teeth.

All the while her father’s suggestion swirled around in her mind, the vice-president unable to shove the thought away. Get a therapist? Cecelia didn’t even think she needed one, despite everything that was going on. Yes, she had momentarily lapses in judgement where her mask slipped, but everyone had those. Plus, there were far more important things for her to worry about than her mental health, the phantom thieves being one of the major ones.

Walking into her bedroom and pulling out her school uniform, the girl shrugged on the plaid skirt and the white turtleneck, her also grabbing her grey button-up and thigh-high socks. Putting them on, the girl walked back into the bathroom, the blue-eyed girl pulling her hair back and securing it with a sky blue ribbon. Frowning at herself in the mirror and the bags underneath her eyes, the girl applied some light makeup to cover them. Looking back at herself, the girl took one more deep breath before exiting the bathroom, her making sure to turn off the light after her.

Walking into her room, the vice-president did a double-take when she realized her school bag wasn’t in its normal spot on her desk, panic filling her veins momentarily. She calmed down though, and that was when she realized that Akira had her bag, a smile filling her features as she remembered all of last night’s events. Grabbing her phone and making her bed, the girl was downstairs once again, this time her yelling her goodbyes to her father while she tugged on her boots. After doing that, the girl opened the door and stepped outside, the wooden door to the Akamatsu household closing behind her.

The rain that had covered the past two days ended last night before Cecelia’s adventure with the two male phantom thieves, but puddles still covered the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya and reflected the cloudy skies. The vice-president’s boots splashed in puddles that were far too large for the girl to hop over, the action making the girl reminisce of the times she did this when she was a kid on the playground, her then getting scolded for getting her uniform dirty.

The smile that once filled her face fell when the memory went dark, her blue eyes darkening. Saint Xenia, noticing her human’s distress, then made her presence known, the warmth and heavenly light she emitted, instead of being focused on shadows, was solely focused on comforting her human’s sudden mood shift. Letting out a breath, the girl murmured a quiet “thank you” to the persona, the Saint saying nothing in response but instead keeping herself at the forefront of the vice-president’s mind.

Walking up to the entrance of LeBlanc, the smile was back on the girl’s face when she saw Akira, the glasses-wearing boy having his phone out and leaning against the brick wall next to the cafe. Hearing the boots of his vice-president splash in puddles, he looked up, a hint of a smile on his face. “Good morning, Cecelia.” He said, the smoothness of his voice making a calm wash over the girl. The grey-skinned Saint seemed happy to see the leader of the phantom thieves also, but not for the onyx-eyed boy. “Sleep well?”

A flash of something passed between the two persona users, blue flames momentarily flashing in the eyes of the vice-president and the normal onyx of the wildcard flashing golden. _“The Aeon..”_ She heard a deep voice chuckle, it being the one that she heard the day of the volleyball rally. It made Cecelia dizzy, her black boots scuffing against the pavement as she lost her footing, her not even realizing what was going on until she was falling towards the damp pavement, the vice-president hearing a cry of her name from both Akira and Morgana and then the thump of school bags on the ground and yowl from the cat.

She was brought back to her senses when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and stopped her fall, her blue eyes staring into the concerned onyx of the wildcard. Akira helped the girl stand upright, his hands remaining on the clothed sides of the girl as she regained her balance. “Are you okay, Lady Cecelia?” the cat asked, looking in between the two persona users. The girl nodded, her still looking paler than normal. “Just...give me a minute, yeah?” She said softly, her head pounding. “We got time, take as much of it as you need.” Is what the boy said, her nodding and subconsciously squeezing her eyes shut and resting her head on Akira’s shoulder and trying to keep back nausea that was threatening to incapacitate her. 

“Please tell me you heard that.” Is what the girl mumbled as she recovered, her picking herself up from the clothed shoulder of the boy. Looking at Akira, he simply nodded, his lips pursed in a straight line. Once he made sure the vice-president was okay to walk on her own, he grabbed the two’s school bags, ignoring the cry of protest that came from the black-haired girl when he just shouldered hers. While the two left Yongen-Jaya, Cecelia supposed that one blessing out of this whole thing was that Sojiro didn’t leave the cafe, and that was because the two students would have a hard time explaining why the girl was in the arms of the frizzy-haired boy.

\---

Swiping their wallets at the turnstiles, the boy spoke up, him having a faraway look in his eyes for the entire walk to the station. “Xenia called me the fool.” Is what he said softly, Cecelia looking at him with confusion flashing in her blue eyes. “Xenia talked to you?” She echoed, her eyebrows shooting up when the two entered the subway, them keeping their voices low so other passengers didn’t direct their attention to the two black-haired students. Akira simply nodded, his attention captivated by the vice-president who was chewing the inside of her cheek.

She also had gotten her school bag from the glasses-wearing boy at the turnstiles, him being concerned at the chance that the girl could suddenly fall under another dizzy spell. The vice-president seemed fine now, her shrugging off the encounter as much as she possibly could, at least, that’s what she told him. He could still hear the black-haired girl’s persona echo in his head, the motherly voice of the grey-skinned saint sounding almost exactly as he imagined her to sound. Cecelia hummed in thought, her looking up to make eye contact with the boy. “Arsene called me ‘the aeon’. At least I’ll assume it was Arsene, due to the fact that he’s the persona you initially awoke to and he’s talked to me before.”

The boy frowned at that, him grasping the vice-president’s hand to guide her out of the subway train without her getting lost in the rush-hour crowds. “It was Arsene. He’s the only one that would dare to talk to you.” Akira simply said, the vice-president nodding. The rest of the boy’s personas were simply copies of the ones he either fused or found during their infiltration of Kamoshida’s Palace, them not having enough of a unique personality. Giving Cecelia’s hand one final squeeze, he dropped it as the two of them encountered the other students of Shujin Academy, not wanting the girl to have any rumours thrown her way,

The aeon? He heard that name when he initially made a deal with the vice-president, that being when the two of them talked outside of LeBlanc after they managed to talk Takemi into selling them medicine. He had also made a similar bond with Ryuji, though instead of being ‘the aeon’ the blonde-haired boy was ‘the chariot’. He didn’t know much about the meaning behind the specific names that were given to his friends by the feminine voice that was in his mind, and he wondered if he would ever truly find out. He only knew a little because of Igor, the long-nosed warden who deemed that they would be important in order for Akira to “complete his rehabilitation” but any time he tried to ask a question pertaining to that, Caroline would smack the bars of his cell and Justine would simply tell him to listen to the advice their master was giving the prisoner.

He thought about telling Cecelia all of this, but he didn’t want to bombard the vice-president with more than she could handle right now, especially on the day as important as today. _Shit._ He had completely forgotten about the fact that today was meant to be the day the phantom thieves were going to steal Kamoshida’s heart, and, judging by the look on her face, Akira assumed that the blue-eyed girl had forgotten too. “Morgana, do you have any explanation?” The girl asked the cat, him finally making himself known. 

“I do not, Lady Cecelia. I did not even hear what you two are describing, so I’m sorry I cannot be of more use.” The cat sympathetically said, the girl just sighing and instead pulling a fake smile on her face. “It’s okay, let’s just focus on the more important matter, yeah? We have a big day today.” The vice-president said, and Akira nodded. Deep down, the boy knew that it was troubling her more than she let on, and he wanted to help more, but he simply didn’t know how to. Instead, the two human persona users just looked at each other, the same expression crossing their features. 

\---

Walking into the school, Cecelia stopped in her tracks at the bulletin boards, Akira stopping when he noticed bright red cards that spelt out ‘Kamoshida’ in katakana. “Guess Ryuji did his job last night.” The vice-president mumbled, referencing the blonde’s desire to put the calling cards up by himself last night. Akira chuckled lightly at that, the blue eyes of the girl having amusement flash through them momentarily before the girl turning on her vice-president mode. “Go find him, and I’ll meet up with you guys in a minute.” She said softly, the boy simply nodding and leaving her alone.  
Once Akira had left, the vice-president walked up to the bulletin boards that had the bright red cards stapled to them, the crowd parting for her. Bending down to pick up one of the cards that had fallen, the vice-president internally smiled at the hand-drawn logo that Ryuji had designed. It was rather cute if she had to voice her opinion on it, flipping the card over to see what was written on the back, the message made up of cut-up letters that the black-haired girl wondered if the blonde even had the patience to do.

_Sir Suguru Kamoshida, you utter bastard of lust.  
We know how shitty you are, and that you put your twisted desires on students that can’t fight back. That’s why we have decided to steal away those desires and make you confess your sins. This will be done tomorrow, so we hope you’re ready.  
From, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts_

After reading the calling card, Cecelia dropped it, her letting the red card flutter to the ground. She heard students gossip around her about said card, and, as she was walking away, she saw Ann walk up to the bulletin board. Giving the girl time to read it, the two female persona users glanced at each other, blue eyes meeting blue eyes. The model broke away from the gaze first, her spotting the rest of the thieves and gesturing for the vice-president to walk over towards them with her. As they did, the sound of their shoes hitting the wooden floor of the school alerted the other three persona users of their presence, Ryuji turning to the girls with a grin on his face.

“Not bad, eh?” He asked, quite proud of himself. “I looked up a lot of stuff online to use as inspiration.” He said, and the model just sighed, her looking almost disappointed with how the card turned out. Before the blonde could say anything to upset the ex-runner, the vice-president spoke up, the corners of her mouth twitching up ever-so-slightly. 

“It could be a lot worse.” Is what the vice-president said, her earning the attention of all four persona users. "It's still decent though, with it being your first calling card and all." She added quickly, not letting any room for criticism from any of the other thieves. Akira noticed this and he just looked at the girl with an amused glint in his eyes, Cecelia just glaring at him back. 

Ryuji, seeming to not notice the hidden meaning behind the words nor the looks that the two black-haired thieves gave each other, took it as a sign of victory, his grin going even wider. "Hell yeah, all that's left to do is for Kamoshida to see it."

As if on queue, the gym teacher walked up to the bulletin board, a scowl apparent on his features. "What's all this?!" He spat, grabbing one of the red cards out of an unsuspecting student's hand, said student backing up in fear from the man's rage. Seeing the man’s reaction to the card, the five persona users looked in between each other, a small satisfied smile forming on the vice-president’s face. Morgana snickered from his position on Akira’s shoulder, his tail flicking. “That’s a predictable reaction for someone who knows what we mean by distorted desires.”   
Ryuji just leaned back against the wall, looking very pleased with himself at the outcome of the situation at hand. “I think it’s hittin’ him pretty hard.” Is what he said, Cecelia simply nodding and crossing her arms over her chest. “Damn.” Was all she muttered as she watched the gym teacher rage, her blue eyes narrowing as students ran away in fear to be on the receiving end of the wrath of Kamoshida. “If we didn’t know he was guilty of his crimes before, this surely would’ve been the tipping point.” She said this mostly to herself, but the glasses-wearing boy picked up on it, him looking at the vice-president and simply nodding. 

Her mask was back up as the gym teacher noticed the four Shujin students and walked towards them, the vice-president shifting closer to Ann. The two blue-eyed girls didn’t turn around to look at the gym teacher, the black-haired girl sensing the discomfort that radiated off of the model in waves. Grabbing the model’s hand and squeezing it to offer some sort of comfort, the pigtail-wearing girl looked at her friend and managed a weak sort of smile, her squeezing the curly-haired girl’s hand back yet not letting go.

“Was it you two?” The gym teacher spat, the anger in the man’s voice making the model flinch slightly, Cecelia squeezing the blonde’s hand tighter. Akira noticed the interaction between the two female persona users, and he put his hands in his pockets and turned to the gym teacher, an intimidating glint in his eyes and his voice deep and threatening. “What if it was?” He asked, the vice-president looking up from the floor and glancing at the wildcard. She sent out a silent prayer that the gym teacher didn’t take the boy’s question to heart, her blue eyes just glaring at the boy.

“What garbage.” Was all the gym teacher muttered, the vice-president relaxing slightly and letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Eh, it’s not a problem. You’ll be expelled soon enough anyway.” With that, the world around the five persona users switched into the world of distortion, the black-haired girl whipping around to find the cognitive version of Kamoshida staring at them with a taunting sneer on his face. Her blue eyes went wide at this, her not having seen the shadow this up close since she awakened to her persona. 

As if sensing the vice-president’s discomfort, the glasses-wearing boy stepped a few steps closer to the girl, a frown on his face. Cecelia didn’t notice this, her solely focused on Shadow Kamoshida, her clenching her jaw and pale hands clenching into fists. “Come and take it..if you can.” The cognitive version of the gym teacher taunted, the five persona users just staring at him with the same amount of wrath in all of their eyes. Most of that wrath disappeared when the world went back to normal, them now staring at the Kamoshida in this world. 

Much to the black-haired girl’s relief, the gym teacher simply turned around and walked away from the thieves, him not saying anything else to the group of students. That was also when Ann let go of the vice-president’s girl hand, her smiling at the girl as a silent thank you. Morgana popped out of Akira’s school bag also, him hiding in it once the gym teacher had arrived. “Going off that response, Kamoshida’s treasure should have appeared, right?” The blue-eyed girl asked the cat, it nodding. Ann’s eyes widened at that, excitement shining in her blue irises. “We’ll be able to get it today, right?”

The cat nodded once again, him continuing. “And remember, we can only grab it today. The impact of a calling card does not last long, and it cannot be repeated.” Ryuji spoke up at that, his infamous grin back on his face. “One day is more than enough for us!”

The vice-president’s mouth quirked up into a smile at that, her nodding. “Let’s get to class now. We can’t have them being suspicious of us.” All of the other thieves nodded at that, them walking off together to go to their respective classrooms. 

\---

Cecelia sighed, slumping back into one of the wooden chairs in the student-council room. There had been an emergency meeting called by Makoto in response to the calling cards displayed all over the school this morning. The vice-president barely spoke during the entire meeting, instead simply taking notes and watching the other members try to come up with the reasoning behind the red cards to even come into existence. “All we can do for now is simply wait and see what happens.” Was what the vice-president said when she finally decided to speak up, her clicking her pen and closing her journal. “There’s not much we can do regarding the situation, and that is due to the fact that we don’t know who distributed the cards, or why they even put them up in the first place.”

The black-haired girl was good at acting oblivious, it came with the fact that she was easily able to shove her emotions down to focus on the task that was given to her only through logical thinking. She was internally smirking though, and this was because the other members of the student-council were pondering over the concept of there being a perpetrator when one of them was one of the people they went to for advice on matters related to the school. Makoto nodded, her sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose. “Let’s just call this meeting here, and all of you return to class. If anyone asks, simply state that we’re working on it, and if you find out more information, please do not hesitate to inform me or Cecelia.”

With a nod from all of them, the student-council members left the room, leaving only the president and the vice-president, both of which had completely different opinions on the matter at hand. “We’ve done all we can, Makoto. It’s out of our control.” Was all the black-haired girl simply said, watching as the ruby-eyed girl paced the length of the room while grasping her chin in thought. The brunette simply sighed, her stopping in her tracks. “I know you’re right, but it just feels wrong to simply watch how things turn out. I’m surprised you’re so calm about the subject.”

The vice-president simply shrugged, her blue eyes remaining emotionless. Hearing her phone buzz, the girl pulled it out at the same time. “I’m just repeating to myself that it’s completely out of our control. All we can do is play the card we’re dealt.” She thought of bringing up the matter of the rumours that swirled around the gym teacher even before the calling card got posted, but she said nothing. She figured it would be easier that way, and so that the brunette didn’t start to think far too deeply about the girl’s nonchalant attitude.

Makoto just simply sighed again, her lips twitching into a stressed sort of smile. “I suppose you’re right. I’m going to grab a drink, do you want anything?” Seeing the vice-president shake her head, the girl grabbed her wallet out of her school bag and left the room, Cecelia taking the opportunity to finally check her messages.

**Ryuji:** Yo, I’m so happ that the callig card worked

**Ann:** i can tell simply by the amount of spelling mistakes you’re making  
 **Ann:** have u ever heard of auto-correct? it works wonders for people like u 

**Ryuji:** Says the girl who can’t type out ful words

**Akira:** Where’s Cecelia?

The girl snorted at the simplicity of the glasses-wearing boy’s text, ignoring the argument the two blonde’s seemed to be having above him.

**Ryuji:** Dunno, she’s not in class

**Cecelia:** i’m here, sorry for the delay  
 **Cecelia:** emergency student council meeting 

**Ann:** ah, makes sense  
 **Ann:** how did it go?

**Cecelia:** alright  
 **Cecelia:** they’re trying to find out why the calling cards were distributed  
 **Cecelia:** and who could’ve distributed them

**Ann:** do u think they’ll catch us?

**Ryuji:** Nah, we were sneaky las night

**Cecelia:** yeah, they said pulling the tapes was a waste of time and resources   
**Cecelia:** i managed to convince them to just wait and see what happens, so we’re good on that front   
**Cecelia:** we’ll just need to be more cautious from now on to not raise any red flags

**Ann:** that means u, ryuji

**Ryuji:** Hey, you’re not the one who did most of the legwork last night

**Cecelia:** it was a team effort. what matters most is what happens next  
 **Cecelia:** akira, we’re still meeting on the rooftop, correct?

**Akira:** Yep

**Cecelia:** okay, see you guys there

**Ann:** see u there!

After that conversation was over, the vice-president pulled up her private conversation with Ann, typing out a message she had meant to ask the girl for a couple of days now. Her finger hovered over the ‘send’ button for a moment longer than she would admit, her chewing the inside of her cheek as the message sent.

**Cecelia:** hey ann?  
 **Cecelia:** do you think i could go with you to visit suzui-san after we deal with kamoshida today?

**Ann:** of course! shiho would love to see u   
**Ann:** she’s actually been asking about u quite often

**Cecelia:** thank you

**Ann:** ur welcome!   
**Ann:** i’m honestly surprised that u haven’t asked before now

**Cecelia:** yeah, i am too  
 **Cecelia:** i just didn’t want to intrude, due to the fact that i don’t know suzui-san very well

**Ann:** cecelia, ur not intruding   
**Ann:** u saved shiho’s life, and she’s very grateful for that  
 **Ann:** besides, ur friends with me now! ur never intruding

Smiling at that message, Cecelia smiled, her placing her phone back into her bag. Exhaling a breath she didn’t know she was holding, the girl placed her pen back into her leather pencil pouch and zipped it up, her placing it and her journal back into her school bag. Makoto walked in moments later, an apologetic smile on her face as the bell rang. “Sorry for not coming back sooner, I got caught up talking to some of my classmates.” She said as she packed up her things. Standing up and shouldering her bag, the vice-president just smiled at her superior. “No worries, Makoto. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Let’s just keep our heads on straight and see where this goes.”

\---

The five phantom thieves were now standing in front of Kamoshida’s Palace for (hopefully) the last time, Joker pocketing his phone. Luna could feel the increased tension that was radiating from the castle from here, her also noticing an influx of guards that appeared on the inside from them sending the calling card and Kamoshida receiving said calling card. “Are you guys ready?” Mona asked, looking in between the four human phantom thieves with pure determination shining in his large blue eyes. The four nodded, and, in a flash of blue flames, the five persona users were teleported to the safe room nearest the treasure room, the blue-eyed girl stabilizing herself momentarily before nodding at the trench-coat wearing boy.

He still had the same concerned expression from early this morning, his onyx eyes soft underneath his mask as he stared at the black-haired thief. Something deep within her heart twinged at that, her expression still being unreadable to the other thieves though. Offering a smile to try to calm the boy’s concern, she made a mental note to stop by LeBlanc so the two could talk about things properly and not during rush hour on the subway, though she was sure it would only lead to more questions.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to try.

With a “let’s get a move on!” spoken from a rather enthusiastic Skull, the two black-haired thieves broke out of whatever unspoken conversation they were having and walked towards the large door of the safe room, Joker pushing it open with ease. All five of the thieves decided to be there this time, and this was because the persona users didn’t have to worry about raising the security level when it was already at its max, plus, all of them had an unspoken desire to see what would happen next for themselves, rather than simply hear about it. Even with the caution that Luna was trying to proceed with, she couldn’t help but feel the excitement that was buzzing through her veins.

However, opening the door to the treasure room, all of the thieves stopped in their tracks, the blue eyes of the vice-president widening underneath her grey and gold mask. “Holy shit...we hafta carry that?” Spoke a doubtful Skull, Panther continuing his question for him. “How are we even going to carry that?”

Kamoshida’s treasure was extremely large, the golden crown shining rather brightly. All the other thieves seemed to wince at the overbearing gleam, but the black-haired girl remained unphased, her wondering if that was since her persona’s primary attack method were bless skills. Analyzing it, she realized that it would be quite a challenge to get the large piece of metal outside of the Palace with ease, her chewing the inside of her cheek as she pondered every option. Would placing it in a safe room be a possibility..?  
Breaking her out of her thoughts was the yowl of Mona, the cat looking extremely happy at the prospect of the golden crown floating in front of him. “Treasure…!” The cat cried, leaving the other four phantom thieves to sweatdrop and look at each other. Panther opened her mouth to say something, but it was cut off by a loud meow emitting from the cat, him launching himself up to attach onto the crown. The four human thieves just stared at the cat, who was meowing happily, with different expressions on their faces, Luna just shaking her head and muttering “my god” underneath her breath. 

“That’s not catnip.” Was all Joker said, the vice-president turning to look at him. His face remained emotionless, but the black-haired girl saw a flash of mischief run through his onyx eyes, him smirking as he made eye contact with the girl who simply rolled her eyes in response.

“Alright, that’s enough, you stupid cat!” Skull said, stomping his foot. He had finally had enough of the cat’s actions, and his yelling brought said cat back to his senses. Mona hopped off the treasure at the blonde’s voice, him looking down in embarrassment. “Forgive me for such an insolent act, ladies.” Was all he said to explain himself, the two blue-eyed girls looking at each with an unrecognizable emotion shining in both pairs of eyes. Panther just crossed her arms over her chest, the model shifting her weight from one leg to another. “What was that about?!”

“I don’t know, and I couldn't stop it. To think I would be drawn to desires this much….” the cat trailed off, seemingly lost in his thoughts for a moment. Luna thought that would be the end of the conversation, and she opened her mouth to say something regarding the transportation of the rather large crown, but Mona opened his mouth again, perking up. “This has to mean I’m human!” He cried, Skull just glancing at the cat with annoyance flashing through his eyes momentarily. 

“Dude, how should we know?” He asked, annoyance laced in his tone at the cat’s actions thus far. The cat backpedalled at that, blue eyes wide and ears flat against his head. The vice-president was ready to diffuse any argument that might arise between the two persona users, but, to her surprise, it didn’t erupt into an argument. “A-anyways, you all need to carry it!” The cat stated, gesturing to the treasure that was floating behind him. Luna just stared at it for a second, her mentally preparing herself for the strain her arms were about to feel.

Skull slumped his shoulders, huffing at the cat. “All you do is give out orders,” he mumbled, yet still walking over to one side of the crown nonetheless. Panther and Luna took another side and Joker took another, all four of the thieves groaning when the crown stopped floating and fell into their arms. The vice-president’s legs nearly buckled underneath the weight, her arms shaking as she got accustomed to the weight. “After this, we’re done, so let’s get out of here.”

\---

The four human thieves were moving across the throne room as fast as they could, even though the arm muscles of the black-haired girl were screaming in protest. Looking over at Panther, she realized that the model was having as tough of a time as her, her brows furrowed together in concentration and a bead of sweat falling down her hairline. Mona was watching the four humans with glee in his eyes, and Luna wanted nothing more to strangle the cat for not helping at all, but she realized that the bipedal feline couldn’t even do much to begin with in that state, so she assumed it was a win-lose situation for all of them.

“Go go let’s go, Ka-mo-shida!”

A high pitched feminine voice broke the masked girl out of her thoughts, all of the thieves stopping in their tracks. Suddenly, the sound of a ball being hit was heard, and it hit the large crown, it being knocked from their hands with a cry falling from Skull’s mouth. Looking up, the two blue-eyed girls found the form of Shadow Kamoshida flying over them, Luna’s eyes widening as she realized what was going on. All she could do was simply stare at the cognitive version of the gym teacher in shock as he landed in front of his throne and held out his hand, the crown shrinking and fitting into his hand. What made her sick though, was the shadow forms of her and Panther appearing out of nowhere, the shadow version of the blonde dressed in nothing but a hot pink bikini and throwing herself onto the man, attaching herself to the man while the shadow version of the vice-president simply wrapped herself around his other side, her being tucked under the arm that the “King” was using to toss his crown and catch it.

Both female persona users looked at each other with disgust flashing in their blue eyes, Luna wanting to wash her eyes out with bleach after viewing the scene in front of them. “That rat bastard.” Was all Panther said, the vice-president nodding in agreement. The fact that he viewed the two girls that way made the girl’s gloved hands clench into fists, a fire lighting inside her blue eyes for the second time today. Joker noticed this and stepped forward, subtly placing himself in front of the vice-president as if to protect her from the ruler’s gaze.

“Yo, perv. Were you just waitin’ to ambush us?” Skull asked, pulling Luna out of her thoughts, her turning her attention from her cognitive self to the king who was staring at them with disgust in his golden eyes. “I just made it easy to find you,” the king stated, “I’ll just have to dispose of you all myself.” With that the vice-president scoffed, her rolling her eyes underneath her grey mask. “As if he’ll get the chance.” She muttered darkly, hearing Joker chuckle lightly in front of her.

The king than lectured the five thieves about how people who simply kept quiet about the crimes the gym teacher had continuously committed were simply because they wanted to get close to the medalist to use him for their gain, and that made him “a cut above all other humans”. That was when Panther spoke up, her yelling the words in anger. “Above?! Cut the bullshit. You’re a goddamn demon obsessed with your sick desires!”

Kamoshida laughed at that, him pulling the two girl’s attached to his sides closer to him. Luna visibly cringed when she saw the cognitive version of herself simply let out a rather obnoxious giggle, her marigold-coloured eyes remaining focused on the five thieves below the three shadows. Despite not having her broadsword, the head of guards still had an intimidating aura around her, and she held herself with pride. All five thieves looked at each other when a red and black aura began to surround the king, both of the cognitive versions of the persona users looking on with glee shining in their golden eyes. “That’s right, I’m not like you,” Kamoshida started, holding his arms out wide, “I am a demon who rules this world!”

With that, the shadow version of the gym teacher shifted and grew, all five of the thieves staring at the growing form with wide eyes. Saying nothing, Luna simply gripped her claymore, mentally preparing herself for what happens next.

This was a fight they had to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to leave this on a cliffhanger guys, I didn't want the chapter to get extremely long with the boss fight, so I decided to split it up into two parts. Also, I hope you guys don't mind me cutting out the rather unimportant dialogue. This comes from when I read fanfic, I want to make things not so story-based so that it's not like you're simply reading a manuscript for the game, and also it would take a lot more time for these updates to come out (even though my schedule is messed up sorry about that). Thank you all for your comments on the last chapter, and I took all of y'alls advice into consideration, so you'll learn my decision on it as the story progresses naturally.
> 
> The next chapter should be up soon and thank you all for the support. If you guys have anything you want to see added into the story or have anything that you want clarification for, please let me know! I might be a little slow replying to comments occasionally and updating, but I truly am working as best I can, just I've learned that I'm a slower writer than I realized and I'm kinda in a burnt-out state right now so it's making everything a little bit harder, and I want to produce my best work. Sorry for the ramble, and thank you all for reading! I hope each and every one of you is doing well!


	16. 15 - heads unworthy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the Phantom Thieves of Hearts finally steal Kamoshida's treasure, and Ryuji enlightens Akira about how Cecelia used to be

The true form of Shadow Kamoshida made the five thieves look on in shock, Luna drawing her claymore and simply staring at the transformed creature with pursed lips and surprise flashing through her blue eyes momentarily. From behind her, she could hear Skull mutter “what the fuck?” as they stared down the four-armed demon, blue eyes of both her and Panther narrowing as the four-armed gym teacher laughed manically, him screaming “I’m allowed to do whatever the hell I want!”.

The four-limbed demon had pale pink skin, it also being the same colour as the busts that decorated the sides of the throne room. Dressed in nothing but a cape, in its four hands were a golden knife and fork, a large glass of what appeared to be red wine, and what the vice-president would assume to be a riding crop, though she wasn’t certain. A large, grey tongue spilt from the jagged mouth of the demon, saliva dripping off of it. In front of the demon was a golden trophy, it being filled with the lower halves of purple-skinned women, the sight making anger fill the thief’s gaze. The crown that the thieves had to steal sat on the horned head of the demon, it’s surface glowing gold under the lights that filled the room. “Luna,” Panther called, pointing at the trophy, “look.”

Glancing at the trophy once again, the girl’s heart did flips as she saw the cognitive versions of her and Ann, the bikini-clad girl floating in the red liquid and lazily keeping herself afloat. Cognitive Cecelia simply sat on the rim to the glass, her lazily swinging her legs back and forth as she ran a hand through her curls and watched the scene before her with a smirk painted on her face. “The way he thinks of you is almost worse than mine,” Luna said to the real model, disgust painted on her face and hot-pink gloves curled into fists. She simply nodded, playing with a pigtail with a scowl on her features. “I know. At least you had some kind of power.”

Noticing the discussion between the female thieves, Joker stepped forward, features pulled into a frown. Glancing at him, the vice-president saw a determination in the onyx eyes of the boy, his attention not wavering from the four-armed demon that was in front of them. “You’re wrong.” Was all he said, gesturing behind him for his teammates to get into fighting positions. Taking the hint, Luna and Panther both preparing themselves. The vice-president spun her sword in her hand, her heart pounding although she didn’t show it. She simply stared with narrowed eyes at Kamoshida, watching as he flailed around, more salvia leaving his mouth. “You goddamn, no-good, shitty brats! Haven’t you been taught not to point at people?!” At that the grey mask-wearing just scoffed, her rolling her eyes. Turning to the trench-coat wearing boy, the vice-president spoke calmly. “The treasure is on top of its head. We should attack it and also plan for how we’re going to take it.”

The frizzy-haired boy nodded at that, the two black-haired persona users turning their attention to the four-armed gym teacher once again. With a flick of his fork, four creatures that Luna didn’t notice until now launched volleyballs at the black-haired female, her barely raising her hands to cover her face as they all hit her straight on and sent a shockwave of pain through her. Clenching her jaw, the persona user attempted to shake off the pain, her standing in an upright position once again. Panther looked over at her in concern, her just nodding to show that she was okay.

It was now their turn, Joker taking the opportunity to switch to Slime and cast tarunda on the demon. Calling Saint Xenia, the vice-president cast rakukaja, her deciding to cast it on their leader who looked at her with gratitude flashing through his eyes. Simply nodding, the black-haired girl turned her attention to Panther who cast agi and sent a wave of fire towards the demon, letting out a groan of pain. Skull called Captain Kidd and sent out a lunge, the blonde taking damage from the attack also. It went on like that for a while, the four thieves who were present in the fight sending out attacks and trying to wear the demon down. Seeing that they were weakening the demon, the vice-president felt a flicker of hope flash through her. 

However, all of the hope died when the four thieves who were actively participating in the flight watched as the four-armed creature stabbed his golden fork into the trophy full of the girl’s lower halves and sloppily placed one in his mouth. With a look of disgust on her face, the blue-eyed vice-president watched as the demon healed himself completely. “That hits the spot!” The demon cried, and Luna knew that, if it could smirk, it would be right now. Stabbing its golden knife into the carpeted floor, the demon continued its taunt. “Come at me, you pieces of shit! I ain’t letting you sleep tonight!”

Knowing what had to be done even before Mona said anything, the vice-president stepped forward, watching as Panther dodged an onslaught of volleyballs that was aimed at her. “Saint Xenia!” The girl cried as she gripped her grey and gold mask, the grey-skinned saint appearing behind her. Focusing her attention on the trophy, blue eyes narrowed as she screamed “show no mercy!” and launched a bless attack and took a big chunk of the trophy's health. A smirk grew on the persona user’s face as she watched the demon flail in shock, her mask appearing in a flash of blue flames. “Nice one Luna!” Mona called from where he was hiding, the blue-eyed girl making eye contact with Joker who smirked and nodded.

Following the other girl’s head, Panther summoned Carmen, the dancer sending a wave of fire towards the trophy and weakening it more. Skull summoned Captain Kidd and sent a lunge towards it, it now being Kamoshida’s turn to attack. The girls watched on in shock as the demon drank from the large cup that held the cognitive versions of both girls. Grimacing at the way the demon swirled the two girls around in his mouth, the demon’s attack dramatically increased as he spat out the two girls back into the cup. Being caught by the scene in front of her, the black-haired girl almost didn’t notice the large golden knife that was directed towards her, her sheathing her claymore and launching into a back handspring and barely dodging the attack.

She stood up as Joker switched to Arsene, the gentleman thief launching a curse attack at the trophy and made it crumble and disintegrate into dust. Pulling out her gun from her boot, she joined the other four human thieves in surrounding the demon. “Do you think you can get away with such a thing? Do you realize who I am?!” It cried, slumping over. “I am Kamoshida! Don’t you get it?!”

Simply scoffing, Luna rolled her eyes. “All you are is a poor excuse of a man who uses people. I would be ashamed to speak my own name if I were you.” She spat out, her blue eyes narrowed at the pink-skinned demon. Panther nodded in agreement, her grip tight on her gun, “We came all this way to steal that! Won’t you just give it up and hand it over?” With that the demon said nothing, him only letting out a cry of protest as Joker stepped backwards and commanded the into an All-Out-Attack.

The vice-president caught her breath as she got back into her fighting position, her already feeling somewhat low on energy. “I’m the king! If not, who is?” The demon asked, “How dare you keep defying me! Looks like I’ll have to bring out the big guns. Slaves! Bring out the you-know-what!” Seeing the creatures on each side of the demon run off made the blue-eyed girl tense, her eyes flashing as she prepared herself for what was next. As she heard the demon taunt about his supposed kill shot, the girl just sighed. She was really tired of hearing Kamoshida talk, both in the metaverse and in the real world. However, she wasn’t prepared for who showed up next.

Blue eyes widened as she watched the cognitive form of Yuuki Mishima showed up, a volleyball in his hands. “I-I’m so sorry, King Kamoshida! I have it right here!” The boy stuttered out, Luna’s heart twisting in anger and sympathy. Trying to calm herself, Luna’s grip tightened on the golden hilt of her claymore. Skull voiced the vice-president’s confusion, his brown eyes wide underneath his mask. 

“It’s just a cognitive version, it’s not the real Mishima.” Mona reminded the two blondes, who displayed their confusion and anger openly. “Everyone, guard. He has a big attack coming.” Luna urged the rest of the thieves, her holding her hands up to cover her face with her claymore tight in her grip. The rest did, and over the sound of blood pumping in her ears, the vice-president heard Kamoshida tell Mishima to pass the ball to him. Seeing the boy pass the ball to the demon, the blue-eyed girl tensed her muscles as the demon jumped up and spiked the ball that miraculously had gotten larger, it hitting all four of the thieves and knocking Luna off of her feet and making her dizzy. “Luna!” Panther cried, Joker, whipping his head around at the girl’s codename.

The leader of the thieves walked over and silently offered a gloved hand, the two blondes looking on in concern. Brushing curls away from her face, the girl took it and got back up on her feet, wiping the blood that poured from her nose with her other hand. Onyx eyes glowed in concern, him holding out a bead that he pulled from his pocket. With a shaky gloved hand, Luna touched it, a green light surrounding her and healing her of all her wounds. Being able to stand up straight, the girl smiled, her picking up her sword. Seeing that the vice-president was better, the mask-wearing boy smiled in return, him squeezing her hand and drawing in his dagger once again.

All four thieves turned their attention back to Kamoshida, who just angrily thrust his fork. “I knew it. I can’t go all-out with Mishima providing backup. Hey, shit-for-brains! Get off my court!” All four thieves that were fighting watched as the blue-haired boy stammered out an apology and sprinted off, the vice-president feeling bad that she didn’t check on the boy earlier as if to try to prevent some of this. Chewing the inside of her cheek, the girl simply stared on as the demon called for his next slave, both female persona users stopping in their tracks and saw as Suzui-san ran to the court, dressed in a bikini and ears that gave her the appearance of a bunny, a smile on her features. “King Kamoshida, I’ve brought you your ball.” She said sweetly, and Luna saw Panther get angrier and angrier with every second that passed.

As Kamoshida praised the cognitive version of the girl, Skull growled, anger in his gaze. “Dammit, you really are the lowest of the low, huh?” He spat out, his grip tightening on the spiked bat he used as a weapon. The model that was beside the vice-president said nothing, though the black-haired girl could see the girl clench her jaw and narrow her eyes underneath her cat-shaped mask. Joker watched on and thought to himself, him speaking up after a minute. “We need to focus on cognitive Suzui. It’s the only way that we’ll make sure that he doesn’t get his kill shot off.”

Luna nodded, her sighing. Panther looked hesitant at the idea, so the vice-president spoke up, her blue eyes shining with sympathy. “Panther, it’s not the real Suzui-san. She won’t be hurt.” She said, the blonde eventually nodding. With a growl, the girl gripped her red mask and called forth Carmen, her screaming “agi!” and launching a ball of fire towards the cognitive version of her best friend. Downing the girl with a wince, the model baton passed to Joker, who summoned Arsene and launched another curse attack. Skull sent another lunge at the girl and, to save her energy, Luna pulled her gun out of her boot and fired at her until she disintegrated into dust. “Sorry, Suzui-san.” The vice-president said as she put her gun away, her feeling bad even though she knew it wasn’t the real girl.

“Guys, brute force isn’t going to get us anywhere,” Mona said, running up to the four persona users. “What should we do?” The cat asked it’s tail flicking back and forth anxiously. “We should go for the crown.” Was all Joker said, catching the attention of the rest of the thieves. Luna nodded, brushing a curl out of her face. 

“Look over at that terrace.” The vice-president said, pointing over to it. “If someone managed to get up there, we could knock his crown straight off of his head. And, if my hunch is correct, that would weaken him.” She stated, her blue eyes shining as she thought things through. “Joker, you should decide who we send to steal it, though I would advise not me or Panther, because he would notice our absence the most.” The black-haired boy nodded at that, him thinking it over for a moment. 

“Mona, you go. You would be the least noticeable.” With a nod, the cat ran off towards the direction of the palace, the four thieves turning to focus their attention on Kamoshida, them summoning their personas and attacking again. After a few minutes of this, it being a war of attrition, the vice-president watched the cat jump onto the terrace, and, with a snicker, knocked himself into the crown and knocked it off of the demon’s head. “Noooo, my precious,” the demon cried, him flailing his arms. A smirk filled the vice-president’s face, her blue eyes shining. 

“Joker, want to help me do the honours?” Luna asked, gripping the edge of her mask with a gloved hand. Turning his attention to the blue-eyed girl, he smirked and nodded, gripping his mask as well. Summoning both their personas, the Saint and the Gentleman Thief glanced at each other, Arsene chucking and Xenia opening her mouth. _“It seems our holders have taken a liking to each other.”_ She said, the thief nodding. _“Is that a bad thing? Their hearts scream for the same rebellion.”_

The two black-haired thieves looked at each other, Luna and Joker both having the same confusion flashing through their eyes. Making a mental note to bring it up later, the vice-president turned her attention back to the pink-skinned demon. “Kouha!” Luna cried, the Saint behind her beginning to gather the heavenly light in her hands. “Eiha!” Joker screamed, the two personas launching their attacks at the same time. These attacks met each other while travelling towards the demon, it swirling and forming into multiple arrows that were a mixture of bless and curse damage. These arrows pierced the demon’s skin and made him disintegrate, both their personas disappearing with one last look at each other and their holders.

\---

The crown rolled in front of the five thieves, all of them watching as it shrunk into a normal size. Luna eyed it sceptically, her subtly drawing her gun from her boot. If she was right, Kamoshida would make one ditch effort to try to grab the crown, and-

As if on queue, Skull stepped forward to walk towards it, the distorted gym teacher sprinting towards it. Without a moment’s hesitation, she aimed her pistol at the crown, her hitting it and rolling it out of the line of the gym teacher. Before Kamoshida could react, the vice-president ran towards it, grabbing it with one of her hands. Keeping her gun pointed at the teacher and hugging the crown to her chest, her blue eyes shined with a dangerous light as she narrowed them underneath her grey mask. “Try me, I dare you to.” She growled out, the “King” staring at her with wide eyes and making a break for the balcony. The five thieves walked forward, Panther staring at him with no sympathy or remorse in her blue eyes.

“What’s wrong? Not running away?” She taunted, the shadow turned around to face the persona users. “Why don’t you run, aren’t you a great athlete?” She continued, her voice getting more and more venomous with each word that she spoke. “It’s always been like this, all those people pushing their expectations on me! I’m doing this all for them, so what’s wrong with demanding a reward for that?!” The ruler cried, Panther just rolling her eyes. 

“Scared? Right now, you’re seeing the same view Shiho did. I’m sure she was scared too..except she had no choice to jump. If it weren’t for Cecelia, she’d be dead thanks to you.” The model spat out, her heeled boots clicking on the floor as she stepped forward. Summoning Carmen, the dancer stood behind her holder with no remorse in her eyes, flames appearing in both of her hands. “You took everything from her, and all the people you hurt!” The model yelled, a ball of fire hitting the doorframe of the balcony and making the gym teacher cry out in shock. Stepping forward, Luna placed a grey, glove-covered hand on the model’s shoulder, her pulling the blonde girl out of her trance.

“Ann, if you kill him here, he can’t confess his crimes in the real world. He’d have a mental shutdown.” The vice-president reminded, the model turning to her with wide eyes. Taking a deep breath, the blonde nodded, her blue eyes shining with unspilled tears. With her mask appearing on her face, Luna took the opportunity to toss the crown to Joker, who caught it with a nod, a frown on his face.

“I’ve lost. You’re nothing when you lose.” Kamoshida finally admitted, tears streaming down his face. “I’ll go now and return to my real self.” With that, Panther finally broke, resting her head into the vice-president’s shoulder and sobbing, the black-haired girl wrapping her clothed arms around her rubbing small circles into the model’s back, hushing the girl. Luna didn’t hear what the gym teacher said before he disappeared in a flash of light, but the crumbling around her made her widen her blue eyes. This is when Panther looked up, her sniffling as the five thieves watched the castle crumble around them. 

“We don’t have time to waste. This place is about to collapse!” Mona cried, urgency in his voice. “Run!” Ryuji cried, all five thieves spurring into motion and sprinting out of the throne room. Luna barely dodged falling debris as she ran behind Joker, her mask pushed up into her hairline and showing her blue eyes shining with panic fully. Feeling a weight on her shoulder, she turned her attention to Mona, who let out a meow as he sat on the vice-president’s shoulder. Gritting her teeth at the extra weight, they all stopped in their tracks when Skull fell, Panther crying out “Ryuji!”

“Just been a minute, that’s all.” The blonde boy said with a grin, him picking himself up with a wince and beginning to run again as the Palace crumbled behind them. Pumping her legs faster, Luna seeing a light at the end of the hallway, letting it swallow her and the rest of the persona users.

\---

Entering the real world, Cecelia placed her hand over her heart to try to slow her heart rate, her catching her breath as she did so. “I can’t say that was my favourite thing I’ve done.” She admitted after she caught her breath, her earning a nod from Ann. Saying nothing, Ryuji just pulled out his phone, his eyes widening as he stared at the screen. “Look at the nav!” He said, the rest of the human thieves pulling out their phones and unlocking them. _“The destination has been deleted.”_ Is what the digital voice said, the vice-president staring at her screen in shock. “We can’t go there anymore,” Ann said slowly, her blue eyes darting between each persona user.

“What about the treasure?!” Morgana cried, Akira pulling the medal out of his pocket with a flourish. “A medal? Where’d the crown go?” The model asked, her eyebrows furrowed. They all turned their attention to the cat, who looked at them with a sombre expression on his face. “It means that this was the source for Kamoshida’s desires.” He said softly, his tail thumping against the pavement. “To him, this medal is worth as much as the crown in that Palace.”

Cecelia nodded at that, her crossing her arms over her chest. “He got obsessed with the fame it brought. It doesn’t excuse his actions, but it gives us reasoning as to why he thought of things that way.” She sighed as she thought about it, toeing the ground with her black boots. “He’s still a bastard though.” She added a scowl on her features. “Even if that’s the case, it means his heart changed, right?” Ann asked, her fiddling with a pigtail as he asked the question.

“Probably.” Was all that Morgana said, Ryuji snapping his attention towards the cat. “Probably? Our explosion’s on the line here!” The blonde cried, the vice-president chewing the inside of her cheek and playing with a curl.

“I’m trying to prevent that as much as possible.” Was what the black-haired girl started with, everyone’s attention turning towards her. Akira stared at her, his onyx eyes shining with adoration in them, but it went unnoticed. “I only have so much power as vice-president, but I’m trying to figure out a loophole. I’m trying to figure something out, and in the worst-case scenario, I’ll go to the board meeting and stand up for you two and Mishima-kun. It’s not ideal, but I have it in place just in case.” 

The two boy’s eyes widened at that, Ryuji trying to comprehend it. “For real? You’d do that shit for us?” He asked, the vice-president just nodding. “It’s in my best interest to help students when they’re in trouble, and this is one of these times, is it not?” She asked, her blue eyes hard. The blonde boy nodded at that, Akira sticking his hands and the medal back into his pockets. “I’m just hoping it doesn’t get to that point. I suppose all we can do is wait and see, yeah? I’ll probably hear the first about it due to the fact that the student council will probably have to come up with an alternative for the school missing a gym teacher, but I’ll let you guys know if I hear anything. I know you’re anxious about the situation at hand, but we’ve done all we can, so please, for all of our sakes, lay low.”

Ryuji simply nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. Letting out a weak chuckle, he turned his attention to Ann. “She’s just like she was in middle school, huh?” He asked, the model nodding as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “She always knows the right thing to say, and to do.” Sweat dropping at the two blondes and the way they talked about the vice-president like she wasn’t there, Cecelia turned her attention to the glasses-wearing boy. The two made eye contact, a gentle smile filling the boy’s features. Reaching his hand out, the girl placed his hand in hers, blue eyes shining despite how tired she felt after the events that had transpired. 

Feeling a gentle squeeze on her hand, she squeezed back, the two offering each other a silent comfort. “Cecelia! You ready to go see Shiho?” The model’s loud question startled the vice-president, her dropping Akira’s hand as the model walked over and linked armed with the girl. “Uhh, yeah, but can we stop in the underground mall first? I wanted to make her a bouquet and get her something.” Nodding at that, the model pulled the vice-president along, her stumbling at the intensity. Turning back to the two boys, all the black-haired girl was a wave, her expression one of shock at the burst of energy.

\---

“Dude, what’s with ya and Cecelia? You two seem to be really touchy-feely.” Ryuji asked as the two stopped at Ore No Beko, the two deciding to get beef bowls so that they didn’t have to go home and scavenge for dinner. Akira just shrugged as he placed his order. “I like her.” Was all he said as the blonde just sighed and slumped his shoulders. “Well, no shit.” He responded, shoving a piece of meat into his mouth. 

“I see the way ya try to protect her, Ann does too.” Frowning at that, the black-haired boy just began to eat his food, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him. He wondered how the two girls were doing, especially with the way the vice-president took that hit from Kamoshida in the palace. The very thought of that alone made him tightening his grip on his utensil, him feeling Arsene rise at the sudden surge of energy from his holder. “She and I..there’s something weird there. We react to each other.” The boy finally spoke up, Ryuji just looking at him with wide eyes. “It’s almost as if..our personas know each other. You saw the way they reacted to each other when in the palace.” He kept his voice low, not wanting other customers to hear his conversation. “It feels as if I’m drawn to her, or at least my heart is.”

The blonde just sighed, him loudly swallowing. “Well, whatever it is, she’s not the worse girl you could’ve gone for. She cares a lot about people, always has. Ann n I have known her since middle school. She was the same back then, too. Always put up with people’s shit, and she still does.” Perking up, the boy yawned before he continued. “Has she told of you of any of our stories from back then?”

When Akira shook his head, Ryuji grinned, him finishing his food in record speed. “She came in the middle of primary school, a year before Ann did. She never said why she did, but it musta been something to do with her parents, cause she always stiffened when it was mentioned. She stood out with her hair and eyes, and people didn’t like her for it.” Frowning at that, Akira watched as the worker took up their now empty bowls. “She got bullied a lot. She was real quiet back then, but she still tried to help everyone. One time, my dad did some real nasty shit the night before, and it’s as if she has a sixth sense for that kinda shit. She came up to me during lunch and just sat with me, offering me some candy from her lunch. She didn’t say anything, but it’s like she knew I needed someone.”

Akira simply nodded at that, him taking all of it into consideration. “‘m not surprised she’s vice-president. She deserves it.” Pulling out his wallet, the boy paid for both of their meals, stopping Akira from saying anything about it. “If it makes ya feel any better, she looks happier with you than I’ve seen her.” Perking up at that, the two boys left the beef bowl shop, Morgana asleep in his bag. “Really?” 

Ryuji nodded, a grin on his face. “Hell yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late upload, I've been in a really bad slump. Hope everyone is staying safe and well, and thank you so much for reading.


	17. 16 - home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia and Ann visit Shiho, and the vice-president later makes a decision that she doesn't know the effects of.

The plaid skirts of the two Shujin Academy students flowed in the light breeze that surrounded the two, a bouquet in Cecelia’s hand as she walked down the paved sidewalks. The bouquet had blue irises, lilies of the valley, and alstroemerias as the main flowers, along with some other filler plants and smaller flowers. Also, placed into the vice-president’s school bag was a soft, lavender-coloured stuffed bunny, the stuffed animal also smelling like lavender. It was one of the ones that you could microwave in order to warm it up and make it smell good, and the black-haired girl thought it would be good for the girl if she wanted to replicate the feeling of holding someone.

The automatic sliding doors of Kayabacho Mental Clinic opened when the two female persona users stood in front of it, the drastic temperature difference startling the vice-president. Ann didn’t seem to mind it all that much, and the black-haired girl wondered if it had to do with her persona wielding fire, so cold temperature didn’t affect the model as much as it used to. Chewing the inside of her cheek, the girl tried to cover her overall spiking anxiety with random and rather unnecessary thoughts as the two blue-eyed girls walked up to the reception desk, the receptionist being an older woman who’s greying hair was tied into a perfect bun, large bags underneath her eyes. Her manicured hands clicked on the loud keyboard, her not even looking up from the computer as the two second-years walked up. “Name?” She asked monotonously, her lips in a flat line.

“Takamaki Ann and Akamatsu Cecelia. We’re here to see Suzui Shiho” Cecelia spoke up, the receptionist looking up at the names spoken by the vice-president. Brown-eyes widened underneath glasses when looking at the black-haired girl, recognition flashing through them for a moment. The older woman didn’t say anything though, and, if the vice-president didn’t know any better, she would simply shrug it off as a trick of the LED lights that hummed above them. Simply humming in response, the woman clicked on something, her glasses reflecting the bright light of the computer screen. “She’s in room 125. Please find a nurse if you have any questions, and remember that visitor hours end at 5:45.” The two girls nodded at that, walking into the elevator. Ann pressed a button, and once the metal doors closed, the vice-president let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“You okay? You look like you’re about to have a breakdown.” The blonde asked, raising an eyebrow at the black-haired girl’s nerves. The vice-president simply nodded, flashing a smile at the pigtail-wearing girl. “I’m okay. I just don’t like hospitals very much, no matter the kind.” It was always overwhelming for the black-haired girl, even when she was little. The bright, artificial lights and the smell of cleaning supplies overwhelmed the girl’s senses easily, and it made her feel sick and on edge. She knew it was a rather irrational discomfort, but she had yet to embrace it fully, which was shown by the fact she would rather go to Takemi’s numerous times than visit a large-scale medical building.

The model’s eyes widened slightly at that, her playing with a pigtail. “Oh, I’m sorry. You didn’t have to come-” the vice-president cut the blonde off, her blue eyes flashing as the elevator dinged to a stop at their designated floor. “I’m here because I want to be, Ann. I want to be here for Suzui-san, even if it causes some discomfort on my part.” _It’s all I can do right now,_ is what the girl mentally added, her not knowing the connotation behind the thought that appeared. Whatever it was, the blonde simply nodded, her walking out of the elevator with purpose in her step, though her pace was slower than normal due to the amount of energy the two female persona users had used in the palace. The vice-president was starting to feel the effects of summoning her persona so frequently, a dull ache entering her muscles and her feeling drained of energy, more so than this morning.

Stepping into the rather plain room with two twin-sized beds shoved against the left and right laws, the vice-president couldn’t help but smile slightly when she saw Suzui-san sitting on her bed. The ex-volleyball member was reading a paperback book, only looked up in surprise at the exclamation of “Shiho!” from Ann, the ponytail-wearing girl being smothered by a hug from the model. “Ann, you’re lucky I haven’t had enough of you already.” The black-haired girl joked, wrapping her arms around the model and rubbing her back. The girl looked much better now than she did when she was enrolled in Shujin, the bruises that littered her face mostly faded, and the ones that didn’t were a faded yellow-green rather than ugly shades of blue and purple. Noticing the other girl in the room, the brown eyes of the girl widened, her speaking up as the blonde pulled away from the hug. “Akamatsu-senpai, it’s nice to see you.”

Blue eyes widened slightly at the honorific that was used, but the smile stayed on the vice-president’s lips anyway. “It’s nice to see you too, Suzui-san. I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to visit sooner.” She started, holding out the bouquet, the paper wrapping crinkling slightly with how tight her grip was. Once the girl took the flowers, the curly-haired girl pulled out the stuffed bunny also, delight shining in the brown eyes of Suzui-san as she grabbed it and held it tight to her chest. “Also, you can call me Cecelia if you’d like.” She added quickly, the ex-volleyball member looking at her with multiple emotions flashing through her brown eyes.

“You can call me Shiho then, Cecelia-senpai.” There was happiness in her tone, her shifting herself so her feet were hanging off the side of her bed. A calm silence fell between the three girls for a moment, Ann breaking it. “How have you been, Shiho?” She asked cautiously, her messing with a pigtail. Still holding the bunny to her chest, the girl looked up, her looking small and fragile amidst the whites and sterile blues that covered her shared bedroom. “I’m alright. I’m in one-on-one therapy now, to deal with..” she trailed off, not wanting to resurface bad memories, and the two persona users glanced at each other with anger flashing in Ann’s eyes, and sympathy flashing in Cecelia’s. “ _Everything_. The people here are really nice, and I’ve made a couple of friends.” Turning to the vice-president who was watching the scene with analytical blue eyes. “I want to thank you.” She spoke up softly, startling the vice-president.

Before the student council member could say anything, Shiho continued. “Don’t say you didn’t do anything or you only did what you needed to do, because I know you’re more than that. You’re more than following orders for the school because you wouldn’t have risked your life for me if that was the case. You’re a good person, senpai. Even after I..” the girl paused to take a breath, her grip tightening on the purple bunny. “Hurt you, screamed at you. You still held on. I’m so sorry for all the pain I caused.”

The vice-president’s thigh muscles screamed in protest as she squatted to make eye contact with the now crying girl, Ann rubbing circles in her back as the ponytail-wearing girl rocked back and forth. “Shiho. There is no need to apologize. With everything that you had to endure, I’m sorry that I didn’t notice sooner. I simply helped you realize how strong you were, and I’ll be here to do that as long as you want me around. And so will Ann.” With that, the three girls linked hands with each other, the model that was sitting next to Shiho sniffling and wiping at tears that spilt from her eyes angrily. “Dammit, why do you both have to get emotional?” She grumbled, both black-haired girls laughing slightly at that.

It wasn’t until her tears hit the tile floor of the psychiatric hospital that Cecelia realized she was crying too.

\---

Stepping out of the subway, both blue-eyed girls hugged goodbye to each other, the vice-president feeling how naturally hot the model truly was due to Carmen. Pulling apart, Ann said her farewells once again before bounding off into Central Street, her pigtails flowing in the light wind. Smiling at the blonde’s antics, the black-haired girl let out a yawn, her eyes watering for the second time that day due to the action. Covering her mouth with her hand, the girl walked back into the station, glancing at the digital screen to see that the next train would arrive in a few minutes. Pulling out her phone from her bag, the girl unlocked it, a small on her face as she tapped on the chat with Ann and Shiho in it. The ex-volleyball member didn’t have her phone on her while she was in the hospital, but she agreed to a group chat nonetheless. The only thing that was in it was a picture sent by Ann, it being of the three girls that were taken by a nurse when she tried to kick them out.

The three girls were all sitting on Shiho’s bed together, with the smaller girl in the middle of the two persona users. Ann had put up peace signs and Cecelia had a genuine smile on her face, one of the ones where her blue eyes shined with happiness. Shiho was mid-laugh, her still holding onto the purple bunny. They all looked _happy_ , happier than all three of them had looked into a bit. And, with Kamoshida’s heart being changed, the vice-president hoped they could keep that happiness around.

“Such emotion.”

Hearing that made the girl look up, her blue eyes darting around at the station. Her hand instinctively gripped her phone tighter, pushing herself up off of the wall she was leaning on, the train pulling into the station as she did so. Not seeing someone that looked like they said anything to the girl, she simply pulled her bag tighter to her, quickly stepping into the train and letting the doors shut around her. Was she just paranoid? It’s not like the person was actively following them, right? If so, she would’ve felt their presence before now, at least that’s what she was trying to tell herself in order to calm the anxious thoughts that threatened to spill over into the more rational part of the vice-president’s brain.

It was only when the train lurched and began to move forward that the girl unlocked her phone again, her staring at the picture as she thought things through, her thoughts running a mile a minute. Should she text Goro? Shaking her head at that thought, the girl chewed the inside of her cheek. That would add more work to the detective prince’s stress, especially with something as minor as that. If not him, then maybe Akira? He did live in Yongen-Jaya, so it wouldn’t be out of his way, but still. He was probably exhausted, much like how the rest of them were, so she didn’t want to bother him, especially since it was getting later at night and he was probably in bed, if not asleep already. Sighing, the girl quickly saved the photo that was on her screen, her taking the time to change it to her home screen. Pulling up her chat once again, she tapped on the pink icon of Ann, hoping the model could ease some of her worries.

 **Cecelia:** hey ann?

 **Ann:** that’s me!  
 **Ann:** what’s up?

 **Cecelia:** do you remember feeling someone watching us when we went to big bang burger when i slept over at your house?

 **Ann:** yeah, it was super weird if i’m being honest

 **Cecelia:** when walking around shibuya and stuff, have you felt the same feeling?

 **Ann:** if i’m being honest, yeah  
 **Ann:** it’s really creepy  
 **Ann:** why do u ask?

 **Cecelia:** i heard someone mutter something today, besides normal gossip  
 **Cecelia:** they said “such emotion”  
 **Cecelia:** and while i haven’t felt anything, i just wanted to run it by you to see if it wasn’t just me going insane lmao

 **Ann:** ur not insane for that, that is odd  
 **Ann:** have u told akira or ryuji?

 **Cecelia:** no, this is the first time it’s happened. i don’t want to worry akira  
 **Cecelia:** if i’m being honest, i think ryuji would just shrug it off

 **Ann:** probably  
 **Ann:** let’s just both keep an eye out and keep each other updated, k?  
 **Ann:** maybe we can catch them

 **Cecelia:** yeah, or they stop  
 **Cecelia:** here’s to hoping

Getting off the train, the girl quickly walked home, despite her body protesting. Fishing her key out of her bag, the girl quickly unlocked the door, flicking on the lights as she stepped inside. Sliding off her shoes at the door, the girl smiled as Minako bounded towards her, the black and brown Shiba Inu wagging it’s curled tail as she received pats on the head from the blue-eyed girl. Noticing all of the lights in the Akamatsu household off, Cecelia ran a hand through her curls and sighed, throwing her school bag onto the kitchen counter. Pulling out her phone, the vice-president tapped on her music app, playing a song that she had paused in the middle of the way home on the subway.

Opening the fridge, the blue-eyed girl stared at the container of sushi, wondering if it would be alright for her to eat it for two meals rather than just for lunch. Deciding against it, the vice-president pulled out a microwavable meal from the freezer instead. Opening the box and stabbing at the plastic film with a fork, she opened the microwave with little effort on her part and put the meal into it. Shutting the door, she set the timer for four minutes and sighed, resting her hands on her hips.

Signing along to a song that came on, the vice-president let out a laugh when Minako walked up to her, food bowl hanging from her mouth. It clattered to the floor as she sat down, her tail thumping quietly as she tilted her head slightly. Bending down to pick up, the girl set it on the counter that was near the sink, her opening the cupboard. Not having enough energy to pick up the dog food bag that was placed inside of the otherwise empty cupboard, Cecelia just reached into the bag and got out a scoop of dog food by the plastic measuring cup that they kept in there, it clanging against the dog’s metal bowl.

Closing the cupboard with her hip, the girl grabbed Minako’s food and placed it down in it’s designated spot, the vice-president shaking the dog’s paw before she began to eat. Sighing, the black-haired girl got her own food out of the microwave, throwing the plastic film that was on the top away before grabbing the fork she used earlier and eating it, multitasking by slinging her school bag on her shoulder and taking it upstairs between bites. Returning downstairs, the girl finished her meal and threw it away, walking around the kitchen to make sure her dad had everything he needed in order to make the mornings easier for him.

Making sure everything was in place, the girl shut off the lights to the kitchen and living room, not before making sure the lights outside were turned on. Bringing her phone into the bathroom, the girl let the soft music play as she shut the door and took off her uniform, pausing when she took off the turtleneck and stared at herself in the mirror. There was, what looked like to be a rash forming on the girl’s side, it being a pale pink and covering most of her hip. Her brows furrowed as she touched it, surprised when it didn’t hurt. Frowning, the girl shrugged it off, her chewing the inside of her cheek as she thought about it. It was probably due to overexertion in the metaverse, so it should go away in a couple of days.

Speaking of injuries, the girl slapped her hand to her forehead when she remembered she was meant to go to Takemi’s this afternoon. Breathing out a curse, the girl groaned as she turned on the hot water, her letting it soothe her muscles as she washed the day’s sweat and grime off. She’ll just stop in tomorrow after she goes to work, and apologize for the inconvenience. The vice-president was sure that the doctor didn’t care all that much, due to her laid-back attitude, but she still felt bad.

After getting out of the shower, the black-haired girl wrapped two towels around herself, one in her hair and the other around her body. Turning off her music, she grabbed her phone and walked from the bathroom, flicking on her bedroom light. Making sure her curtains were closed, Cecelia quickly got changed into shorts and a tee-shirt, grabbing her water bottle from her bag and placing it on her nightstand. Flicking her small lamp on and her main light off, the girl groaned as she climbed into bed, her exhaustion hitting her like a truck. Grabbing her phone to plug it in, she stopped in her tracks when it lit up with a call, her answering without hesitation as Minako jumped up onto her spot at the end of the bed. “Goro? Is everything okay?” The girl asked, yawning as she heard crackling on the other side. “It’s quite late, and you never call me.”

The detective prince chuckled at that, his voice coming through clearly as Cecelia put her phone on speakerphone and plugged it in. “Everything’s fine, for the most part. Did I wake you?” Shaking her head even though the vice-president knew that he couldn’t see it. “No, just got into bed. And what do you mean by “for the most part”?” She asked as she pulled her blankets closer around her, along with the small stuffed cloud that had a face on it. The black-haired girl’s eyes fluttered shut as she listened to the rustling on papers on the other end of the line, her being too tired to even crack a joke.

“Just been thinking things through recently, and it’s leaving my mind far more cluttered than I would admit to anyone but you. I was hoping that your presence would help me make sense of things.” The vice-president smiled at that, her letting another yawn at the same time. There was a comfortable silence, and then the girl spoke up, her voice having a sort of teasing tone to it. “You know, sleeping might help. Even though your bedroom looks straight out of a home magazine rather than lived in.” Hearing the boy laugh at that, the girl just flicked off her lamp. “Plus, the great detective prince can’t do his job sleep-deprived, can he?” She taunted, knowing that the brown-eyed boy at the other end of the phone line was rolling his eyes.

“I suppose you are right, my dear. It is later than I expected it to be, I apologize for keeping you up when you sound exhausted. Having a nice sleep, and I’ll talk to you soon.” Mumbling a goodbye to the boy, the call disconnected, and Cecelia drifted off to sleep.

\---

Opening her eyes, she was standing in the dark. The only thing that was illuminated was her, and she was wearing her school uniform, her black boots scuffing against the floor as she looked around. Blue eyes were wide with confusion, her running a hand through her curls as she tried to calm her racing heart. Where was she? This wasn’t home, nor was it anything that bore the same safety as places that she called home more than where she slept every night.

 **Home.** Where was home to her truly? She didn’t know where she was anymore, everything was falling apart around her. It had been for a while, she just chose to ignore it. She didn’t know where she was, or, better yet, who she was. It was as if she was what people wanted to her be, rather than what she wanted herself to be. Who did she even want to be? That question remained unspoken on her tongue; she didn’t trust herself to speak. She was sure her voice would come out different than she imagined.

_“You must choose, my child.”_

Saint Xenia’s voice startled her, the Saint appearing behind her with the sound of chains breaking. The grey-skinned woman looked down at her holder, pupilless eyes bearing into the girl. Dark red lips never moved, yet the motherly voice of the woman echoed around her, the blue-eyed girl turning around as two figured appeared flashes, one in blue flames and the other in a dark crimson, it being the same colour as the blood that the girl remembered staining things that were not hers, yet she had possession of them.

_“The Aeon sees decisions in an unbiased light. They are the peacekeepers, and this is because they do not see the typical right or wrong as other humans do. They are the beginnings and the endings, and every outcome that could possibly happen.”_

Walking forward, the girl's boots clicked on the dark floor as she walked towards the two figures, her stopping in front of the two. Two pairs of blue eyes stared back at her, one girl having a gentle smile on her face while the other had a devilish smirk. In a flash of bright lights, the two clothes of girls changed, both of them staring unblinkingly at the third version of themself, the one dressed in the Shujin Academy uniform.

The one on the left, which was the one with a gentle smile on her face, was dressed in heeled ankle boots, dark grey tights on her legs. Dressed in a white button-up that hung off of her shoulders, it was tucked into a dark blue skirt. This skirt had gold, holographic stars. A dark grey cloak was fastened with a clip that had a crescent moon on either side. Silver gloves adorned her hands, and a sheathed claymore sat off of a sword belt. In the light emitted by Saint Xenia, a silver necklace sat on the pale skin of the girl’s exposed chest, it being a necklace with a crescent moon and two small star charms on it. Looking at it, the girl was pulled into the day that she got it, a black-haired boy wearing glasses giving it to her. “For being our light,” is what he said, adoration flashing in his onyx eyes. She saw two boys, a blonde and a blue-haired one arguing, the latter simply staring at the blonde with confusion in his eyes as he held a paintbrush. She also saw her laughing with four other girls at the beach, a grin on her features and blue eyes flashing. She saw her and the same onyx-eyed boy from earlier sharing a kiss as he pulled her onto a mattress in an attic, a laugh leaving her lips as he pulled her closer to him, covering them both with a blanket as she rested her head on his chest.

The one on the right wore a black leather skirt, it stopping just before her knees. Tucked into the skirt was a grey chiffon lace turtleneck, and heeled boots stopped at the girl’s upper thigh. A sword belt hung off of the girl’s waist, and in it sat a crimson-hilted claymore. Adorned on the girl’s hands were black leather gloves, and these gloves stopped at the girl’s forearms and had crimson palms. Looking at the gloves, the girl was pulled into a vision of being gifted those gloves in a chestnut-haired boy’s apartment, his brown eyes looking a dark red. She sees herself and the same boy laughing over coffee at a high-end cafe. She can hear the boy calling her name as she grips her sword, delivering a finishing blow. She sees herself on a leather couch wearing the boy’s shirt, his hands sneaking under it and resting on the girl’s sides, lazily drawing circles into her skin as he places gentle yet burning kisses on her neck, his brown eyes watching the girl flush deeper and deeper as he continues.  
Pulling herself from the vision, the blue-eyed girl dressed in the Shujin uniform blinked rapidly to try to readjust herself to her surroundings, she backed up to look at the two fully. The girl on the left looked gentle, her holding a light that surrounded her with ease. She held an unmistakable kindness that drew people closer to her, she had power, yes, but she used it to lift other people up, her heart beating for other people. Where the girl on the right didn’t have that kindness, she had unstoppable power. Her blue eyes were alight with an inextinguishable fire, her showing that she was going to get done what she needed to no matter how much it hurt. She grits her teeth and stood up when people tried to eliminate her, spitting out blood and not giving in.

_“You have seen two sides of yourself in this place. Both of them are parts of your beating heart, and it is up to you which one you choose to be. The one on the left is led by The Fool, and the one on the right is led by The Justice.”_

The girl simply nodded, her looking in between the two whilst chewing the inside of her cheek. What mattered more to her? Was it having power, like the version of herself on the right, or having light, like the version of herself on the left? The two girls looked at the third with the same expression on their faces as they had previously. The two girls that were in front of her were herself, yes. But what differed from them is that they had homes, both of their homes being different from each other. One found its home in multiple people while the other found its home in a single person, the two of them ruling with an ironclad grip. Both of them had lovers that helped them shape themselves into who they became, and their homes were in them. Her home were not places, instead, they were people.

_” I see you have made your decision. Please walk forward and choose who you wish to become.”_

Exhaling, the girl stepped to the left, so that she was directly in front of the girl wearing the tan coat. The other her broke into a wider smile at this, her holding out a silver, glove-covered hand. Looking at it, the girl paused before gripping it in her pale hand. In a flash of blue flames, a grey and gold butterfly-shaped mask filling the coat-wearing girl’s face. The other girl looked happy with her choice, Saint Xenia disappearing and the only light that was now in the place was the light coming from the mask-wearing girl. A light began to surround the two girls, and as the girl wearing the Shujin Uniform closed her blue eyes, she heard the other her giggle lightly and say:

“Welcome home, Cecelia Akamatsu.”

\---

Waking up with a start, the vice-president instantly sat up, startling the Shiba Inu that was sleeping at the end of her bed. Seeing that it was still dark outside, the girl reached over and turned on her lamp, her white blankets bunching at her waist. Blinking as she adjusted to the sudden change of light, the girl did a double-take and slowed her racing heart somewhat as she realized she was, in fact, in her bedroom, rather than that place she had been in previously.

Grabbing her phone and seeing it was fully charged, the girl unplugged it and stared at the screen, seeing that the time read 4:35 in the morning. Groaning, the girl quickly got out of bed and walked over to her desk, grabbing her laptop, journal and a pen from her desk. Throwing herself under the covers once again, the blue-eyed girl opened her laptop and pressed the power button, her eyes squeezing shut at the bright light from the computer screen. As she entered her password and waiting for it to finish starting up, Cecelia clicked her pen and opened her journal, it hovering inches above the page.

Where should she even start? There were so many thoughts that ran rampant in the vice-president’s head she couldn’t even find a coherent one. Resting her head on her wooden headboard, the girl heard a car pull in as she thought about things. Recalling Arsene talking to her this morning and the interaction her and Akira had, the girl knew that he was, indeed, The Fool. Writing that down, the girl thought through her dream, if she should even call it a dream. Sighing, the girl typed ‘the fool’ into the search bar, chewing the inside of her cheek as she read through the countless searches that popped up.

_The Fool, sometimes known as The Jester is either the first or the last in the 22 Major Arcana. It represents new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, having beginner's luck, improvisation and believing in the universe. Its upright keywords are Beginnings, Spontaneity, Originality, Innocence, Leap of faith, while it’s reversed keywords are Naivety, Poor judgement, Folly, Lack of direction, Stupidity, Chaos._

Writing this down, the vice-president thought it over, her drumming her pen on the page of her journal. To her, it made sense that the onyx-eyed boy was the fool, and that was because everything did start with him transferring here. But still, that didn’t explain numerous things that the two black-haired persona users had experiences, such as Saint Xenia talking to him, and Arsene talking to the vice-president, along with the surge of power the two got when they combined their attacks. Sighing, the girl ran a hand through her curls, her beginning to get sleepy once again. She was still extremely sore from the Palace also, so she knew it wasn’t in her best interest in staying awake much longer.

Having already heard an explanation of the Aeon from her persona, the girl decided to look up the justice instead, assuming that it had to be Goro. He was the only one that truly impacted her life in a major way, and judging by the way that he appeared in the visions she had, he was an important part of her life moving forward, and the way Xenia had warned Cecelia about the detective prince.

_The Justice is one of the 22 Major Arcana, it being either marked as VIII or XI depending on the deck. The Justice card indicates that the fairest decision will be made. Justice is the sword that cuts through a situation, and will not be swayed by outer beauty when deciding what is fair and just. It’s upright keywords are Fairness, Justice, Cause and effect, Balance and equilibrium, Responsibility, and it’s reversed keywords are Lack of accountability, Unfair treatment, Dishonesty, Legal flaws, Imbalance._

After the girl wrote that down, she shut her laptop and closed her journal, setting all of it on the floor by her bed. There was so much to think about, and it was leaving the vice-president more and more confused with each step that she tried to take. Shifting herself so that she was laying down once again, the girl squeezed her cloud plushie close to her, trying to stop herself from thinking too much into it in a sleep-deprived state. Just because she had more information about the names that were spoken about Akira and Goro, what does she do now? It’s not like this was an everyday occurrence, and she was sure if she spoke about it she would get strange looks and marked off as crazy.

Letting out a yawn, Cecelia then thought about those visions she had, her not knowing what else to call them. What were they about? She couldn’t remember the content of them, but there was no telling as to what they could be. Were the best-case scenarios, or were they what was going to happen in the future? Sighing, the girl just pulled her blankets around her tighter, sleep overtaking her once again.

\---

Akira inwardly groaned when he awoke in the blue-themed prison once again, the chains that he was shackled to making lots of noise as he got up and walked to the bars of the cell, wrapping his hands around the cool metal. He had lost count of the number of times that he had been here, whether it be because of Igor summoning him or him wanting to add personas to the compendium and fuse new ones.

“Our master demands your presence, Inmate!” Caroline spat out, whacking the bars of the black-haired boy’s cell with her baton. Her visible yellow eye was shining with amusement, her getting a kick out of having someone to order around. “I suggest you listen to his words carefully,” Justine added, her flipping through her clipboard as she spoke. Turning his attention to the long-nosed man, the black-haired boy just blinked as he waited for the man to say his part. It wasn’t as if they could confuse him any further, far too much had gone on in the past couple of weeks for him to even know what was going on.

“The Aeon has made her decision.” Was what the man started with, the onyx eyes of the prisoner widening slightly. When talking about “The Aeon”, did he mean Cecelia? If so, what happened to her? What decision did she make? Igor seemed to notice the shock on the boy’s face and let out a chuckle, him continuing. “She is very useful in guiding you to your rehabilitation, even more so than the other bonds you have gathered thus far. Your bond is stronger with her than I have ever seen before, and it pleases me greatly.”

With that, Justine spoke up, looking up from her clipboard. “Her heart is very compatible with yours.” Is what she said, Caroline, adding onto it. “Though I don’t know why someone would want to deal with you,” she spoke, Akira glaring at the space-buns wearing twin. Simply sighing, the frizzy-haired boy just shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts, knowing the next question he asks will not get him a straight answer, nor will any of them. “What decision did she make?”

Igor chuckled at that, resting his elbows on his desk. “That is not mine to tell, it is up to the discretion of The Aeon to enlighten you. Though, keep her close to you, she will be very useful to you in the coming months.”

With that, the onyx-eyed was pulled back out of the velvet room, this time with a certain black-haired vice-president on his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blue iris - faith and hope  
> lily of the valley - sweetness and pure of heart  
> alstroemeria - friendship
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It was really fun to write and parts of the story should start clicking together. Cecelia chose her love interest in this chapter as well, and I chose it based on the comments y'all left on one of the previous chapters. However, for all the people that wanted Akechi to be Cecelia's love interest, I have decided that I will be writing a "spin-off" of what happens if the two of them get together, and it will be vastly distant from this story. I will keep you all updated on that, and thank you all so much for the support! I truly appreciate each and every one of you, and your comments make me extremely happy, so thank you for reading! I hope everyone is staying safe and well.


	18. 17 - blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia and Akira become a lot closer than they originally were, and nerves are at an all-time high as the deadline approaches for changing Kamoshida's heart.

When Akira Kurusu awoke with a start, his first thought was of Cecelia. Checking his phone, a frown appeared when he didn’t see the silver chat icon of the vice-president light up when he tapped open his messages app that stayed on the bottom of his phone screen. He almost thought of sending the black-haired girl a message, but some sort of inner turmoil stopped him from sending the message as his finger hovered over the send button, the bright screen illuminating his face and onyx eyes that would normally be hidden behind fake glasses. Sighing, the black-haired boy simply closed his phone and swung his legs off of the side of the mattress that he had to call his bed, Morgana noticing his owner’s (even if the cat didn’t like it, the onyx-eyed boy still called the persona user his pet just to annoy him) trepidation and stood up from where he was cleaning himself.

“What’s on your mind, Joker?” The cat asked, it’s large blue eyes staring at the wildcard. The boy didn’t know how to respond without the feline asking many more questions, so the boy simply did one of the things he found himself to be rather good at. He lied. “Nothing, just thought there was something important that I forgot about.” His voice had a slight rasp to it due to him just waking up, but, other than that, the onyx-eyed boy simply had a neutral expression on his face, the cat not making anything of it. Simply standing up and avoiding all of the loose floorboards that creaked whenever he stepped on them. Quickly getting dressed, the boy gestured for the feline to climb into his brown bag, the sudden addition of weight making the boy shift slightly.

The steps that went down to the cafe creaked under the weight of the boy, his shoes clicking against the wooden floors of Leblanc. Looking up at the noise, Sojiro just sighed when he realized that it was a glasses-wearing boy. “You’re up late. It’s almost noon.” The barista said, and Akira just shrugged. He (and he was sure the rest of the team) we’re exhausted from fighting Shadow Kamoshida, so he wasn’t surprised that he woke up as late as he did. He might have even slept later if he hadn’t been pulled to the Velvet Room, but there wasn’t much he could change about that situation. Seeing the glasses-wearing boy’s rather apathetic reaction, the older man just sighed again. “I need you to wash dishes when you get back.” Was all he said, earning a nod from the wildcard as he left the cafe. 

\---  
Sighing, Cecelia tied her curls up into a ponytail as another customer walked away satisfied, her stifling a yawn. She didn’t sleep very well last night, tossing and turning after the weird dream she had, if she could call it that. Her boss could tell, and the older woman sympathetically smiled as she took her break to get the two coffee from one of the shops inside the mall. The vice-president appreciated the gesture, and she was hoping she didn’t fall asleep before she got back with the drinks. Turning to face the flowers, the blue-eyed girl made a mental note to tell her boss that they were running low on red roses, them being the most popular due to appearance and the meaning behind him. The black-haired girl couldn’t count the number of husbands/significant others that had come to the shop to order a bouquet of roses. 

Hearing footsteps approach the shop, the girl turned around, adjusting her green apron whilst throwing a smile on her face. That smiled faltered a bit and eyebrows shot up at who it was, her walking up to the counter. “Akira?” She asked, her voice causing the glasses-wearing boy to look up startled, a smile filling his face. “Cecelia,” He greeted with a nod, Morgana popping out of his bag at the mention of the female persona user. “I didn’t know you work here.” He said softly, his onyx eyes meeting the blue of the vice-president. The girl nodded, her blue eyes shining underneath the fluorescent lights. “Yeah. The pay really isn’t that great if I’m being honest, but my boss is really nice, and it’s overall not the worst place to be in.” Fiddling with a stray curl, the vice-president could smell the coffee aroma the boy gave off from here, calming unspoken anxiety that the black-haired girl had since last night. “Nevermind that, what are you here for?”

“Just some plant fertilizer.” Was all the boy said simply, the vice-president nodding. Chewing the inside of her cheek, the girl pushed the sleeves of her pale yellow shirt up, her walking over to the pile of fertilizer that they kept in the back of the store. Akira followed, his shoes clicking against the floor. “Do you, by any chance, know what type of plant it is? Just so that way I can give you a more accurate fertilizer based on what it needs.” With that question, the wildcard stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows furrowing. Smiling at that, the girl kneeled, her wincing at the burn in her calves. 

“It’s large. About the same height as you.” Was what the boy admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Simply nodding, the vice-president pulled out a small bag of fertilizer, her handing it to the boy without much of a second thought. “This brand is pretty versatile for large plants, so you won’t have to worry about damaging the plant. It’s definitely not the most effective, but since I don’t know the species, it is the best I can do in the given situation.” Switching into her work mode, the girl didn’t even realize she was going on a plant-based rant until Akira was staring at her, a smirk filling his features.

Noticing the smirk on the boy’s face, she simply raised a brow. Placing the bag on the counter, she crossed her arms over her chest, blue eyes shining with mirth. “Yes, Akira?” She asked, feigning a serious air around her. The boy just chuckled at that, the sound making the girl’s heart filled with some unrecognizable emotion. “You’re truly an anomaly, Cecelia.” Was all the boy said, making the girl just shake her head as she rang up the purchase, “In a good way, I hope.” She teased as she took the money from the glasses-wearing boy. A grin formed again, him nodding as he grabbed the bag.

“Do you want to come to Leblanc tonight?” Akira asked, making the girl look up from the cash register as she processed the question that was being asked. A smile filled her face at the offer, her nodding. “I’d love to. It’ll probably be later on though, due to the fact that I have some errands I need to run. I’ll text you when I’m on my way though, I promise.” A genuine smile formed on the glasses-wearing boy nodded again. “I look forward to seeing you then.”

\---

Being handed her pay by her boss moments prior, the girl tapped through her phone as she made her way to the station. As she was doing this, she drank the remainder of the iced coffee her boss gave her, the amount of sugar that was put in making the girl almost gag with how tooth-rotting sweet the drink happened to be. Despite it not being her ideal, she still appreciated the gesture nonetheless, the amount of caffeine and the fact that the drink was cold helped wake the blue-eyed girl up slightly. Swiping her wallet on the turnstile, the vice-president made her way through the bustling station, receiving a text message at the same time.

 **Ann:** where r u 

**Cecelia:** station by underground mall. heading back to yongen now.  
**Cecelia:** is everything okay?

 **Ann:** yes and no  
**Ann:** i can feel that guy stalking me again  
**Ann:** i just wanted to let u kno

 **Cecelia:** ah. text ryuji to have him meet up with you  
**Cecelia:** and if he doesn’t agree, tell him i’ll make him do classroom set up for the next month  
**Cecelia:** it’s a temporary solution, but it’s better than nothing 

**Ann:** ok, that sounds good  
**Ann:** do we have a reason to be this paranoid?

 **Cecelia:** i think we do  
**Cecelia:** it’s been going on for longer than it would if it was just a coincidence, plus we’re on edge cause of kamoshida  
**Cecelia:** just stay safe, and if things go bad, let me know 

**Ann:** will do  
**Ann:** thank u for being the more levelheaded of the two of us. 

**Cecelia:** of course  
**Cecelia:** it is what i’m known for, after all

Sighing, the girl sat down, her chewing the inside of her cheek. Would it ever stop without confronting the issue? The vice-president was sure that she and the model could stop it, the major problem is that the two female persona users didn’t know who it was. There was a hint of uncertainty that came with that, and that was because she knew it could be anyone, from a horny first-year who found the two blue-eyed girl’s pretty, or some yakuza member that was waiting to kidnap the two once they were alone. The black-haired girl’s leg bounced as she thought about all the possibilities that it could be, and she hoped it was the former of the two rather than something close to the latter. At least Ryuji was now with Ann, and the vice-president had faith that, with how naturally loud the blonde-haired boy was, it would draw anyone who was stalking the model away from her. 

The rest of the journey to Yongen-Jaya was completed without many disturbances, which earned the relief of the vice-president. With the lack of sleep she got last night and the number of unanswered questions that were swirling around in her head, she wasn’t sure if she could take another uncommon encounter. Walking through the backstreets of the populated area, the blue-eyed girl could smell the coffee and curry that was from Leblanc, it making her stomach growl and causing her to come to the realization that she hadn’t eaten anything besides breakfast, and it was currently three in the afternoon. Rummaging through her purse, the vice-president pulled out a (rather squished) granola bar and ate it as quickly as she could as she entered Takemi Medical Clinic. 

The smell of cleaning supplies and vanilla penetrating the vice-president’s nostrils as she walked in. With the sound of the door opening, the blue-haired doctor looked up and closed her eyes as a gentle smile forming on a pale face. “Akamatsu, it’s good to see you. I take it you’re here for that follow-up appointment?” The black curls of the girl bounced as she nodded, walking up to the front desk. “Yes, and I’m sorry I couldn’t come yesterday.” The doctor simply just waved her hand, dismissing the student’s apology as the two of them walked back into the exam room.

The paper that covered the bed crinkled loudly as Cecelia sat down, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Saying nothing, the vice-president simply watched the female doctor sit down in her chair and put on a pair of black plastic gloves, her writing on her clipboard after. “No swelling or signs of irritation?” Takemi asked as she took the black-haired girl’s hand gingerly in her glove-covered ones, analyzing the pale pink scar that was nearly completely faded into the pale skin of the vice-president. 

“No, nothing of the sort.” The girl simply replied with, the brown-eyed doctor humming in response, looking at her hand for a few more moments. “It healed a little worse than expected. Have you used Recover-R Gel before this?” The doctor asked, the black eyebrows of the vice president furrowing as she considered the question. Chewing the inside of her cheek, the girl shook her head, causing the doctor to pause as she took off her gloves, throwing them in the metal trash can as she replied. 

“That’s odd. With my medicine, especially gel, the healing process only slows if you use it in excessive amounts with little time in between. Have you had this happen with the other medicine I’ve given you?” Shaking her head again, Cecelia fiddled with a curl as she replied. “No, not in the slightest. The medicine I use for my headaches is working just as well as the day that you gave it to me.” Nodding, Takemi wrote all of this down, looking up at the blue-eyed girl afterwards. “May I draw some blood? I would like to do some further research on my own time.” When Cecelia nodded, the brown-eyed doctor smiled in appreciation before she left the exam room, presumably to gather the necessary supplies. 

Pulling out her phone, the vice-president opened her chatroom with Akira, letting him know that she would be even later than she anticipated, to begin with. 

**Cecelia:** i’m going to be even later than i originally thought  
**Cecelia** : takemi has to draw some blood then i have to go get groceries

 **Akira:** Okay, thank you for letting me know  
**Akira:** Are you okay? Why is she drawing blood?

 **Cecelia:** she was looking at my hand and the gel she gave me wasn’t as effective as it supposed to be  
**Cecelia:** so she wants to look more into it in her own time

 **Akira:** Okay, be safe  
**Akira:** I’ll make sure Sojiro leaves out some curry for you

 **Cecelia:** oh, thank you  
**Cecelia:** you don’t have to do that. It’s not that much of a big deal

 **Akira:** I want to, Cecelia  
**Akira:** Whether you like it or not, you’re important to us 

Smiling at the last message the glasses-wearing boy wrote, the girl turned her phone off as the blue-haired doctor came back into the room, medical equipment in hand. This caused the girl’s heart rate to increase ever so slightly, Takemi chuckling as she saw the trepidation that crossed the girl’s features before she shoved it down. “Relax, I’m not going to kill you.” The joke eased the nerves of the vice-president somewhat, her offering the older woman a weak sort of smile that didn’t reach her blue eyes.

\---

The clock that was stationed by the television in Leblanc read 8:35 p.m. as Akira finished drying the last dish, except for the plate of curry that was being kept warm by the stove. Cecelia had just texted him a few moments prior that she was coming over, and it would be any moment now that the vice-president entered the door to the cafe. After the glasses-wearing boy told Sojiro as to why he should save a plate of curry, his guardian instantly agreed with little hesitation on the older man’s part.

_Both of them had been at the cafe when the news came on that evening regarding Cecelia and Suzui-san’s attempted suicide. It made the black-haired boy drop the dishrag he was holding in shock, onyx eyes wide as he turned his attention to his guardian, whose eyebrows shot up and he could’ve sworn he heard the older man mutter a curse underneath his breath. The older couple that sat in the booth facing the television commented on the news, Akira listening in without much remorse on his part._

_“Shame what kids these days are forced to go through.” The old man grumbled as he sipped his coffee, the old woman nodding in agreement. “Yes, it truly is. Thank the lord that the other girl was there. She truly is a good person for doing that.” With that, the couple thanked Sojiro for their coffee and curry and paid, the glasses-wearing boy walking over to grab their dishes and wash them without his guardian saying anything about the subject._

_It was only when Akira finished the dishes and took off the apron when the older man said his name, causing the glass-wearing boy to silently turn towards him as he stuck his hands in his pockets. Morgana also made himself known when this happened, the cat also hearing the news. “Lady Cecelia.” The cat mumbled sympathetically, jumping up onto one of the barstools and then the counter. The boy didn’t reply to the cat, but he could see the way that the large, blue eyes of the feline looked more downtrodden than usual, tail flicking harshly and showing the cat’s sadness._

_“Is-is Cecelia okay? I didn’t know that something like that happened.” The barista asked, concern laced in his voice and apparent in his grey eyes. “She’s okay now. She went to Takemi’s with me and got her injuries looked at, and she’s doing alright.” With that the man breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping. “Okay, that’s good. Let her know she can come by anytime she wants, okay? It must be lonely for her, being home by herself all the time.”_

The bell that was attached to the door of Leblanc jingled and broke the glasses-wearing boy out of his thoughts, a smile forming on his face as his onyx eyes met the blue of a certain vice-president. “Welcome,” Akira greeted with fake seriousness, causing Cecelia to roll her eyes as she sat down at the barstool she normally sat at. Setting the plate of curry down in front of her, the onyx-eyed boy didn’t miss the appreciation that flashed through her eyes, causing the gentle smile that was etched onto the boy’s face to turn into more of a smirk for a split second. “Thank you, Akira.” The vice-president said softly, sincerity apparent in her voice as she placed a spoonful of curry into her mouth, finally letting tension that the wildcard has seen in her body all day release, her blue eyes shutting momentarily. 

It was when the vice-president opened her eyes again that the glasses-wearing boy truly realized how _blue_ the girl’s eyes were. They were lighter than both Ann’s and Morgana’s, almost to the point at which they resembled ice, but they somehow held more emotion than Akira knew was possible. They made a sense of peace wash over him, almost as if they were silently telling him that this is where he was meant to be. It might be absurd for him to think that, but he just felt like by her side is where he was meant to be, even if he didn’t know why he should be there just yet.

“Is everything okay, Akira? You look out of it.” Cecelia asked, tilting her head ever-so-slightly as she finished her curry, her not realizing how hungry she truly was. The question broke the boy out of his thoughts and he let out a chuckle, taking the plate from the girl and placing it in the sink. “Everything’s fine. I should be asking you that. You look exhausted.” The boy remarked as he untied his apron and hung it up, walking over to the other side of the counter where the girl was sitting. The vice-president just sighed, brushing a stray cur that escaped her messy ponytail behind her ear. 

“Yeah, it’s been a long day. Where’s Morgana?” She asked, noticing that the rather loud cat was not in the cafe. “I have fish for him like I promised that night we snuck into the school.” The memory made a smile fill the girl’s face as she recalled the night’s events. “He’s outside, I’ll put it in the fridge for him and make sure he gets it,” Akira said simply, watching as the girl pulled a small container of salmon out of her purse, the boy just grinning at it. 

After that was done, the glasses-wearing boy walked over to the vice-president, him holding out his hand for her to take. The blue-eyed girl just stared at it and blinked for a second, her reaching out to grab it with her own. With that, the onyx-eyed boy pulled her up out of the barstool and up the stairs into the attic. “I figured that you would want somewhere more comfortable to sit,” the boy explained as he let go of the girl’s hand and rubbed the back of his neck as the girl took in the room, her smiling when her blue eyes caught onto the plant that was placed in the corner of the room. “Your room is nice.” She said softly, taking in the feeling the room gave her as she sat down on the brown couch that was shoved against a wall.

“You don’t have to lie, Cecelia.” The boy joked as he sat down next to her, leaving space in between the two. The statement that was spoken by him made her glare at him, mirth shining in her blue eyes and causing the boy to laugh lightly. “I mean it. I like the aura it gives off. It suits you, in a sense.” 

The two fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, the girl taking the opportunity to take off her sneakers and pull her feet up onto the couch. “It reminds me of my old house before I lived in Yongen.” She admitted, causing Akira to turn to her with curiosity shining in her eyes. Seeing the boy’s unspoken question, she continued speaking, her playing with the sleeve of her pale yellow shirt. “Up until I was ten, I lived in France. My mom is from there, and we lived in a city that I can’t remember the name of now. We lived in a more rural area that was still close to a city, but it had a vibe quite like this.” Cecelia said, her blue eyes meeting the onyx of the boy. “When we moved to Japan, it was such a change for me, that I didn’t know where to even begin. For the first couple of years, I felt so overwhelmed.”

It was at this point that Akira realized how truly small the girl was, and he could imagine how much of a culture shock it would be for her. “If it makes you feel better, I’m from the country too.” He said, the girl’s lips quirking up into the hint of a smile. “While it wasn’t as much of a change as you had, I’m still trying to get used to it.” That earned a gentle laugh from the vice-president, which, in turn, made a smile appear on the glasses-wearing boy’s features. She then muttered something underneath her breath, and seeing that she caught the boy’s attention, she spoke up.

 _“Tu fais partie des étoiles._ You belong among the stars. One of my old elementary school teachers used to tell me it all the time.” She explained, a fond smile filling her face as she recalled the memories that the phrase held. “I feel like you need to hear that too because it makes me feel a little more level-headed whenever I say it,” Cecelia said softly, watching as the boy’s eyes widened. “You’re not a bad person, Akira. You’re far from it.”

It was at this moment when Akira told Cecelia everything. From the woman who he saved from getting sexually assaulted, to his false punishment, to the numerous trials he went through to get to the place he was at now. He told her of Sojiro’s treatment of him when he got here, and how he’s still trying to earn the trust of the man and make it so his questions are not answered with only half-assed responses because the barista doesn’t want to deal with him. He even told her about his parents practically disowned him when everything went down, and that they won’t even return his calls, and that the last time he talked to them was the day before the last trial he had to go through. He went on to describe the treatment of him at school, how everyone treats him as if he’ll go on a murdering rampage.

After that, the two black-haired persona users sat in silence, panic filling the boy’s veins the longer the silence continued. He shouldn’t have said that there were so many other things that he could’ve said-

“I’m so sorry.”

That broke the glasses-wearing boy from his thoughts, him turning to look at the vice-president. Onyx met blue, and the boy could see the sympathy that was swimming through her blue eyes with ease. “I know you probably don’t want sympathy, but it’s all I can offer. I’m sorry that you had to go through something like that, and that you’re still dealing with it, and you truly don’t deserve that. You were doing what you needed to do, and I know how it feels to have the whole world pinned against you even though you did what was right.” She paused to take a breath, her offering a sad sort of smile. “You’re not alone anymore, Akira. Ryuji, Ann, and maybe even Morgana if he’s nice about it, are here for you. I’m here for you. And I promise I’ll do all I can to make sure something good comes out of this, you have my word.”

Akira smiled softly at that, him wiping at a tear that threatened to escape his onyx eyes. “Thank you.” He said, the vice-president just nodding with a sad smile on her face. Hearing a commotion suddenly, the two turned their direction towards the stairwell, seeing the blue-eyed cat jump onto the landing. “I was wondering why you didn’t hear my meowing!” Morgana cried, breaking the atmosphere the two created. 

Akira just glared at the cat through his glasses, while Cecelia pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh. “I’ll let you deal with the angry cat.” She said softly, turning her attention to the glasses-wearing boy once again. When he nodded, she slid her shoes on and grabbed her purse, standing up and straightening out her shirt. “Goodnight Akira, Morgana. I’ll see you both tomorrow. Would you like to meet outside of Leblanc tomorrow morning?”

Seeing the wildcard nod again, the girl smiled, her blue eyes shining with the action. “Great. I’ll see you then.” She said simply as she walked past the cat who was looking in between the two human persona users. When Akira made eye contact with the girl one last night, she opened her mouth and spoke:

_“Tu fais partie des étoiles.”_

\---

“I don’t get why I have to do this fucking work.” Ryuji groaned from his seat in the diner, the blonde angrily throwing his pencil down onto the pile of work and textbooks. This caused Cecelia to look up with an eyebrow raised, her sitting next to Akira in the both across from the two blondes. “We’re probably gonna get expelled anyway, what’s the point?” At that, the vice-president frowned and Ann smacked him, anger filling her blue eyes. “You moron! We don’t know that yet!” She exclaimed as the boy sighed and rubbed his arm, her setting down her pencil and playing with a pigtail. 

“Ann’s right.” Cecelia started as she answered another question, her placing her pencil down also and looking in between the three human persona users. Morgana popped his head out of Akira’s school bag too, the vice-president petting the cat. “Kamoshida hasn’t been here all week, so there’s a very high chance that he won’t even show up to the school board meeting. And, chances are that he hasn’t told any other teachers about it, and that’s because he doesn’t have the evidence to back it up.”

The gym teacher supposedly placed himself on academic suspension, at least that’s what the vice-president heard from Kawakami. While no one knows if those rumours are true or not, the five thieves hoped it signalled that the man was going through a change of heart, and, while Cecelia was struggling to manage how gym classes would turn out, she silently hoped that he could confess all of his crimes sooner rather than later. While she would stand up for the three boys that were being threatened with expulsion, she would rather not do it if she didn’t have to. It was simply the worst-case scenario, and she didn’t want it to get that far. She kept her nerves to herself though, because all of the human persona users were feeling the same, and it was obvious by the way their group chat was filled with worst-case scenarios from the two blondes and the two black-haired thieves tried to reassure them that everything would turn out okay.

“Everything will be okay,” Akira stated calmly, speaking up from beside the vice-president. The black-haired girl turned to him with gratitude in her eyes, the boy smiling at her and nodding in response. Ever since their talk last Sunday, the two persona users had been around each other more than ever, both blondes picking up on it. Ann always ended looking in between the two with a smirk on her face, while Ryuji just smiled and clapped the glasses-wearing boy on the back the next time the two of them talked. 

“We’ve done all we can. I have faith in us.” Cecelia added, brushing a curl that escaped one of her braids out of her face. Ann nodded and twirled a strand of hair around her finger, humming in response. “You always know what to say, Mom.” She joked, the nickname making the vice-president pause in the middle of writing out a word. “Mom?” The black-haired girl echoed, looking at the model with wide eyes. 

“Yep! You’re the most responsible of all of us, so you’re team mom. Plus, you care about all of us, and it even shows when we're fighting in the Palace. So, Mom.” The pigtail-wearing girl explained, Ryuji speaking up. “I think it fits. Ann ‘n I came up with it one day at lunch.” The ex-runner added, a shit-eating grin on his face. The vice-president looked between the two with an incredulous look on her face. “You’re our Mom!” Morgana cried happily, the black-haired girl just sighing at all of them. “What do you think, Akira?” Ann asked, catching the attention of the glasses-wearing boy.

“I like it.” Was all he said simply, causing Cecelia to whip her head around to look at him. Sweat dropping, the girl just rolled her eyes, putting her pencil down again and admitting defeat. “Fine, I’m team Mom.” She admitted, Ann and Ryuji cheering.

\----

The two black-haired thieves were walking through the backstreets of Yogen-Jaya once again. The two were exchanging in light small talk as Morgana occasionally butted in. The vice-president was in the middle of telling a story from back when she was in France but stopped when her phone started buzzing from in her school bag. Not even bothering to look at it, she stopped in her tracks and answered it. “Hello?” She said, causing Akira to stop and look at her.

“Cecelia? It’s Makoto. I’m just calling to let you know that we’re having a surprise assembly tomorrow.” The president’s words made the girl bite her lip to prevent herself from groaning out loud, the wildcard just looking at her with an amused expression crossing his features. “I’ve already let the other members know, but we have to go in and set up tomorrow.” The vice-president nodded at that, fiddling with the end of her braid. “Do we need to come in earlier to set up?” She asked, sighing again as Makoto admitted that that’s what she was calling for. “No worries, Makoto. I’ll be there. Have a nice night.” She said, blue eyes glazing over as she hung up the phone.

“Everything okay?” Akira asked as Cecelia turned her attention back to him. The black-haired girl nodded, offering a weak smile. “Yeah, just student-council stuff. I won’t be able to walk with you to school tomorrow, I’m sorry.” She apologized as the two walked past Leblanc and towards the direction of the Akamatsu household. “It’s not your fault Cecelia. Don’t apologize for something that’s out of your control.” The wildcard said softly, causing the girl to smile. 

Once she arrived on the front step of her house, the girl stood on it and turned around, smiling at Akira. “Thank you.” She said softly, the boy nodding in response. Morgana popped out of the glasses-wearing boy’s bag also, smiling at the persona user. “Thank you, Mom. We couldn’t have done this without you.” The cat stated, the vice-president sweat dropping. Sighing at the cat’s actions, she pulled out her key and unlocked her door, saying goodbye to the two thieves and then walking inside. As the girl took off her boots, Minako bounded up to her, her tail wagging happily.

Petting the large dog, Cecelia frowned as her blue eyes hardened. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, and it would spell the future of the Phantom Thieves, along with her friendship with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cecelia (the aeon) - rank 3  
> (rank one was them seeing takemi for the first time, and rank two was them breaking into the school)
> 
> we're back! sorry it took so long, there's been a lot going on. i hope everyone is staying safe and well, and thank you all for the 1.2k+ hits and 55 kudos. your support means the world to me.
> 
> also, the next week's updates will go as followed: chapter 18 will be posted on Tuesday, and chapter 19 will be posted on Saturday, but they do have a chance of going up earlier. thank you for staying with me despite the inconsistent updates, and i promise i know what i'm doing now. 
> 
> as i said earlier, i hope everyone is staying safe and well!


	19. 18 - sweeter than heaven and hotter than hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Kamoshida has his change of heart and confesses his crimes and the day's aftermath of that.

All of the student council members, both Cecelia Akamatsu and Makoto Niijima included, did not want to be setting up the gym at 7:30 in the morning, whether it be a school day or not. There were no words spoken between the members despite a brief run over of what needed to be done in order for the assembly to go like it needed to. If she was going to be completely honest with herself, she didn’t even know as to why Kobayakawa had decided to have the assembly in the first place, nor Makoto. Going on that train of thought, the vice-president also thought it was an extremely inopportune time to have an assembly, and that’s because the students at Shujin had the rest of the week off due to it being Golden Week. With that being the case, she was sure that, unless something completely out of the ordinary happened, no one would pay attention. 

Sometimes, although it was very rare, the black-haired girl saw students fall asleep while standing up, and that by itself almost made the assemblies worth it.

Pushing the sleeves of her turtleneck and button-up up, the girl ran a hand through her curls as she and the other members finished setting up for the assembly. “Great work guys,” Makoto stated a smile on her face. It was complete fake though, the vice-president could tell by the way her ruby-eyes seemed distracted, almost as if she was thinking of something else entirely. The vice-president couldn’t blame her, setting up for things was always the most mind-numbing part of being a student council member. The blue-eyed girl was distracted too, although she had to guess that it wasn’t for the same reason that the president was. Today was the day where Kamoshida had to have the change of heart: otherwise, the fates of Ryuji, Mishima, and Akira were sealed, and she knew that there wasn’t much she could do to change them. 

Cecelia walked over to the president, her looking up at the sound of footsteps approaching. “Cecelia,” the brunette greeted, combing through her hair, “how are you?” The vice-president smiled at the president’s question, stifling a yawn. “Been better, been worse.” _I’m a nervous wreck because there’s a possibility that two of my friends are going to get expelled today_ , she added internally, pulling her phone out of her pocket. It was surprising, seeing no messages. She was certain that at least one of the other thieves would be active in the group chat that was created.

Nodding in response, the black-haired girl followed the brunette’s lead and stayed silent as students began to pour into the auditorium, gossiping about the reason as to why they were having an assembly, especially the day before Golden Week started. 

\---

When Akira walked into the auditorium with Ryuji in tow, the first thing the frizzy-haired boy did was look for the blue eyes of Cecelia, Morgana appearing from his bag at the same time. “God, it’s so crowded,” the cat complained, barely showing it’s head out of the bag as to not let it’s appearance be known to anyone besides the four other phantom thieves. The wildcard paid no mind to the cat’s complaining, but instead, his onyx eyes locked on to the curly-haired vice-president, her staring straight ahead with a dead look in her eyes. Though she wasn’t showing her nerves, the way she was wringing her skirt was a dead giveaway.

Feeling a pair of eyes on her, she turned her head, her blue eyes met the onyx of the wildcard, a soft smile forming on her features. Raising her hand, she gave a subtle wave, making the glasses-wearing boy grin and wave back. Watching the interaction between the two black-haired persona users, Ryuji just rolled his brown eyes, a grin forming his features. Akira simply just turned his attention back to the vice-president, seeing that she was now watching the stage with the same glazed-over eyes as before, the two boys following her lead as Principal Kobayakawa walked onstage, clearing his throat before he started speaking. 

“As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day,” the round man started, and out of the corner of his eye, the glasses-wearing boy watched as Cecelia fiddled with a curl. “Thankfully, Cecelia Akamatsu, our vice-president, stepped in before anything could get any worse, and the student is now in good care.” When Principal Kobayakawa mentioned the vice-president, attention turned towards the blue-eyed girl, her eyes going wide. Straightening herself up, the onyx-eyed boy watched as she threw on a fake smile, her brushing a curl out of her eyes at the same time. 

The suit-wearing man nodded at that, continuing his speech. When all the attention turned from her, both Ryuji and Akira watched as she slumped her shoulders, the brunette, who the latter knew as the president of the student council, patted the vice-president’s shoulder sympathetically. She also said something that the two boys couldn’t hear, but they just watched the female persona user roll her eyes with a smile on her face. “Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore each and every one of you to rethink the importance of life and-”

The speech was abruptly cut off when the doors to the auditorium squeaked open, Kamoshida walking through them and starling the five phantom thieves. The man looked, for a lack of a better word, depressed. He was slumped over with his gaze glued to the floor, and when he looked up, his eyes were lifeless. “I...have been reborn.” The gym teacher stated, “which is why I will confess everything to you all.” Akira’s eyes widened at that, and when he turned to Ryuji, the blonde had the same shocked expression on his face. Glancing over at the vice-president, Cecelia’s eyebrows were furrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest, blue eyes narrowed.

All five of the persona users watched as the gym teacher walked on stage, the two boys finally noticing that Ann was, in fact, present for the assembly. Gossip erupted as the teacher stopped, still in the same slumped position. “I have repeatedly done things that were...unbecoming as a teacher,” Kamoshida admitted, his eyes shut and sounding like he was about to cry, “verbally abusing students, physically abusing my team, and sexually harassing female students. I am the reason Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself!” 

The gossip was even louder this time, and Kamoshida fell to his knees and began to sob. “I thought of this school as my own castle...There were even students that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn’t like them. I will, of course, rescind those.” With that, any tension that was in the boy visibly released, and Ryuji muttered “holy shit” from beside him. Glancing over at Cecelia, Akira saw that, even though her eyes were deadly serious, a very faint smirk began to cover her face.

“I am truly sorry for putting innocent youths through horrible acts...I am an arrogant, shallow, and shameful person. No, I am even worse than that. I will take responsibility and kill myself!” The five phantom thieves’ eyes widened as the gym teacher slumped over, still sobbing. Akira’s head spun, and they all watched as Principal Kobayakawa ran over to Kamoshida, telling him to get off the stage. A teacher was yelling at the students to get to class, and everything began to crumble into chaos. 

“You don’t deserve such an easy way out!” 

The yell that came from Cecelia’s mouth caused all of the students to turn their attention to the vice-president, her pushing herself off of the wall. For a brief second, the glasses-wearing boy saw the black-haired girl in her metaverse outfit, Saint Xenia floating behind her as she stared down at the gym teacher with venom in her gaze. “Don’t run, you bastard!” Ann added, the two female persona users’ anger swirling off of each other and making everyone freeze in shock. “Do you know how much pain I put myself through to make sure Shiho got off that roof alive?” The vice-president asked, her hands clenched into fists. “You do not have any right to say that you’re going to kill herself when she nearly did.” Ann nodded, stomping her foot in agitation. “You have no right to run from this!” The model screamed, the students around her backing up slightly.

“You’re right...You’re right.” Kamoshida repeated like a broken record, picking himself up so he was on his knees. “I should be punished by the law and atone for my crimes.” Hearing that, Akira watched as Cecelia relaxed slightly. He also saw Makoto Niijima walk up and place a comforting hand on the vice-president’s shoulder, the two of them sharing a conversation. At the end of it, the blue-eyed girl had a weak smile on her face, her turning her attention back to the teacher when he began to speak up again.

“I did horrible things to Takamaki-san as well. In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team...I...tried to force her into having relations.” Kamoshida paused to let his admission sink in, girls especially talking about that statement that left the gym teacher’s mouth. “As of today, I will resign myself from my position as an instructor and turn myself in. Someone, please call the police!”

\---

After Kamoshida’s confession and the police came, Cecelia felt like she could barely breathe with how busy she and the rest of the student council became. Her and Makoto split up as soon as the assembly ended, the vice-president assigned with propping the door and making sure students got to their classrooms in some kind of orderly manner. After most of the students left the auditorium, the police arrived, escorting the still sobbing gym teacher from his place on that stage. He had yet to move from where he confessed, and he willingly let himself be handcuffed and escorted out of the building. The vice-president also caught a glimpse of her father taking to Kobayakawa, his lips set into a straight line as the round, suit-wearing man tried to deny knowing anything about it.

While everyone was in class, the black-haired girl walked quickly down the hallway, running a hand through her curls as she did so. She longed for some stability right now, her heart racing. The only thing stopping her from having a breakdown was the presence of her persona in the back of her head, Saint Xenia’s motherly voice smoothing the frayed nerves as the girl briskly power-walked down the hallways and took the stairs two at a time.

_There is no need for such worry, my child. Everything is working just like it needs to. Have faith in the people around you._

Nodding at the statement, the vice-president exhaled a breath and brushed a curl away from her face, opening the door to the student council room afterwards. The rest of the members turned towards the noise, Makoto included. “Kamoshida’s gone. The police took him away.” The vice-president stated matter-of-factly, her sitting down in the chair she normally sat in and placing her school bag in her lap. The rest of the council members nodded at that as the black-haired girl got out her journal and a pen, hearing her phone buzz at the same time but choosing to deal with that later.

“What are we going to do about gym classes? Teachers can’t really expect us to come up with a solution to that, can they?” Aimi Saiko said, her pushing her glasses up on her face as she asked the question. The vice-president chewed the inside of cheek as she thought of it, her sighing as she drummed her pen onto her journal. “We can figure that out when we all get back from Golden Week, what matters most right now is getting the rest of the students through the day with any other complications,” Makoto spoke up, trying to appear calm, though the black-haired girl could see the panic shining in her ruby eyes. “With Mr. Kamoshida’s confession, there is going to be an uproar of whether it is due to the calling card these supposed phantom thieves posted throughout the school on the twenty-third.”

Cecelia went simply exhaled at that, her blue eyes darting in between the other four members of the student council. “As of right now, we can say that we don’t have enough information to come to a conclusion regarding that- and that’s simply the truth. There’s no use jumping to conclusions that will simply do more harm than good, so all we can do is offer support to those who need it.” Eiji Ito, the only boy on the student council, spoke up at that, turning his attention to the vice-president. “What do you mean by that, Akamatsu-san?” He asked, the blue-eyed girl staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

“I mean, with Kamoshida’s confession, there is a chance that anyone who has tried to repress negative feelings that revolve around Kamoshida will start to feel those negative feelings again. Having an abuser confess to the fact that they’ve been abusing people can bring up traumatic experiences.” It was at this moment the blue-eyed girl was thankful she happened to pick up psychology as something she briefly studied last summer when she had nothing to do; it was showing its usefulness in this very moment. “We need a long term solution for that. My father, who is the chief of police, has mentioned recommending the school getting a therapist, and I am sure that it will be brought up. So, while that is in the works, please tell the students that I am open to talk to anyone who needs it, starting after school today.”

All the council members looked at the vice-president in shock for a moment, a small smile filling her features. “That’s a great idea, Cecelia. Thank you for volunteering yourself.” Simply nodding in response, the girl felt Xenia make her presence more known in her head, her warm light letting Cecelia know that the grey-skinned Saint though she made the right decision.

\---

_“You have reached the voicemail of Haruki Akamatsu. If it is an emergency, please call the police department. Otherwise, please leave a message after the beep and I’ll get back to you as soon as I am able. Thank you.”_

Hearing the beep, Cecelia spoke up, pacing around the student council room as she did so. It was now after school so the rest of the members had left the school, Makoto included. The president apologized for it many times, but apparently, her sister called her and there was something important that had to be done. Not that the vice-president minded all that much, having the time to herself gave her a chance to calm her thoughts and figure out a game plan. 

“Hey dad, it’s Lia. I’m just calling due to the events that transpired today and wondering if you talked to Kobayakawa about the school getting a therapist. I know there’s a high chance it’s out of your power, but I just wanted to double-check. I love you, and I hope you’re having a good day. I’ll talk to you later.” With that, the black-haired girl sat down on the faux leather couch and hung up her phone, placing it onto the cushion beside her. Hearing her phone buzz again, the girl just simply rested her head in her hands, gritting her teeth as a headache pounded in the base of her skull. 

Grabbing her medicine bottle out of her bag, the girl placed one of the rather large pills into her mouth and swallowed it with the peach-flavoured drink that Makoto got her from the vending machine as a little pick-me-up. Crushing the now empty can, the vice-president threw it, it nearly hitting Akira as it ended up in the trash can. “Akira,” Cecelia greeted, a tired sort of smile filling her features, “Is everything okay?” The boy nodded, placing his school bag that had Morgana in it onto the wooden table. “I should be asking you that, Cecelia. Are you okay?”

Frowning at the wildcard’s statement, the vice-president stood up and brushed off her plaid skirt, running her hand through her hair absentmindedly. “Why do you ask?” The girl said softly, her blue eyes staring into the onyx of the boy. “You haven’t answered any of our texts, and even missed Ann’s call. We had a meeting and we just wanted to make sure you were okay.” When the boy sat down in the chair the blue-eyed girl normally sat in, the girl grabbed her phone and checked in while standing up. Seeing the 15 unread messages and three missed calls, the girl sighed and breathed out a curse. “Shit, yeah, sorry. It’s just been a really chaotic day, which you already know.”

Akira nodded, his onyx eyes shining with concern. As he opened his mouth to speak, the two of them stopped in their tracks when they heard a pair of footsteps stop in front of the student council room, both black-haired persona users turning their attention to the small second-year. “Takanashe-san, how can I help you?” The black-haired girl said without a second thought, watching as the girl anxiously fiddled with the sleeve of her blazer. “A-Akamatsu-san. I’m sorry to bother you, but can you talk? I-I heard the announcement about you being willing to talk to us about everything that happened. If you’re busy though…”

Smiling at the anxious girl, Cecelia just smiled sweetly. “Of course I can. You can come in.” Watching at how the student froze with her eyes wide on the glasses-wearing boy, the vice-president frowned slightly. “Akira’s a friend of mine. If you don’t feel comfortable with him here, you can simply say so and he’ll leave.” She said, blue meeting onyx. He simply nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his shoe into the ground lightly. Eimi Takanashe let out a shaky breath, walking into the room with a small smile on her face. “H-He can stay.” She stuttered out, the black curls of the vice-president bouncing as she nodded. Handing her phone to wildcard, he took it without a second thought.

With the two girls sitting down on the couch, blue eyes scanned over the girl’s shaking form. “I-I am- well, was, on the volleyball team.” The brunette admitted, her leg bouncing up and down on the wooden floor. “And, uh, just seeing him today, it brought back really bad memories and I-I..” The girl trailed off and began to sob, the vice-president’s heart breaking. “I-I just don’t know why we dealt with it for so l-long.” She added through cries, the black-haired girl nodding. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she spoke up after a moment of thought.

“If I’d have to guess, it’s because it’s what you knew. Being on the volleyball team gave you a sense of accomplishment, did it not?” Seeing the brunette nod, the vice-president smiled slightly. “That’s not a bad thing, and I know, looking back on things, you wish you’d spoken up. But, Kamoshida did have a vice-like grip on this school. All three of us heard that he used to think of it as a castle so-” 

Cecelia was cut off by the girl wrapping her arms around the vice-president, sobbing uncontrollably. Blue eyes went wide for a second and Akira tensed, ready to spring into action. When the vice-president realized what was going on, she simply glanced over at the glasses-wearing boy and nodded, showing that everything was okay. The taller, black-haired girl wrapped her arms around the crying ex-volleyball member, rocking her back and forth to offer a sense of security. “I-I’m s-sorry.” The girl repeated over and over, the black-haired girl shushing her. Still rocking her back and forth, the blue-eyed girl began to sing, to help calm the girl from the state that she had worked herself into.

It was an old French lullaby, one that was deemed untranslatable. When the vice-president was little she used to get it sung to her whenever she had nightmares, hearing her voice used to lull her back to sleep, even in a frightened state. She knew the lyrics by heart even though it had been years, and sometimes, though she wouldn’t admit it, she sang it to herself on the nights where things seemed to fall apart.

Finishing the lullaby, Takanashe-san looked up, brown eyes wide. Reaching into her school bag, the girl pulled out a pocket-sized packet of tissues, it being the same packet that she gave to Ann and Shiho what seemed like forever ago. In a shaky hand, the girl took them and picked herself up, using them to wipe her face and blow her nose. Standing up to throw them away, the brunette turned to the two black-haired students, smiling sadly at both of them. “T-Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t talk more. You’re amazing, Akamatsu-senpai.”

Flushing slightly at the praise, the vice-president simply smiled at the brown-eyed girl. “I’m happy I can help. Sometimes we just need a shoulder to cry on. And “senpai”? We’re the same age” Takanashe-san nodded and giggled, her sniffling lightly before continuing. “Yeah. After you saved Suzui-san, the entire volleyball team deemed you deserve it. Plus, you always have had this motherly-like vibe to you, so I feel like it’s fitting.” The black-haired girl nodded at that, a playful smile on her face. “Well, if it makes you happy, I don’t have any complaints. Have a nice night and week off, and I’m always here if you need anything.”

Once the brunette left, obviously happier, Cecelia turned to Akira, who was watching the whole conversation with a faint smile on his face. “What are you smiling about, Akira?” The black-haired girl asked, tilting her head slightly. Chuckling lightly, the boy just shook his head. “You're our mom, Cecelia.” Was all he said, the girl jokingly pouting. 

“Hey! What does that have to do with anything?”

\---

After the leader of the phantom thieves caught the vice-president up on everything that was decided on the meeting, the two of them took the subway home together, laughing amongst themselves. Morgana also butted in from time to time, and that added another layer to the friendship between the two persona users. Despite the amount of stress she was now under due to Kamoshida no longer being the gym teacher, the girl also felt relieved, knowing she didn’t have to worry about anyone getting expelled or getting hurt in Shujin anymore.

For Cecelia, that was worth everything she had ever been through. And she was sure Saint Xenia felt that way too, from the way the persona was more present in her head than before the man confessed his crimes. The Saint’s presence made the girl happy, her taking it as a sign that she was doing the right thing and that everything would work out like it was meant to in the end.

Stopping in front of her house, the vice-president turned to face Akira, a grin on her face. “Goodnight Akira, have a nice night.” She said softly, brushing a curl away from her face. “And you too, Morgana.” She added, the blue-eyed feline popping out of the glasses-wearing boy’s school bag. “Goodnight la-Mom.” The cat said, the blue-eyed girl just rolling her eyes at the cat’s antics.

“Goodnight, Cecelia. Make sure you rest up, you, out of all of us, had the busiest day today.” Nodding at the wildcard’s advice, the black-haired girl smiled. “Yeah, I was just going to make something for dinner and then go to bed probably. It’s been a long day.” Pulling her key out and unlocking her door, the girl opened it with a flourish and turned around to face Akira again. “You do too, alright? I’m here if you need anything, so don’t hesitate to reach out.” It was his turn to grin at that, pushing his glasses up onto his face. “I will.”

Saying her goodbyes to the boy and the cat, the vice-president stepped inside and shut the door behind her, taking off her shoes. Minako greeted her at the door like always, and she pet the dog as she bounded upstairs, throwing her school bag onto her desk after pulling her phone and her water bottle out of it. She didn’t want to think about anything school-related for at least the next day, maybe more if she was lucky. 

Quickly walking into the bathroom, Cecelia played some music from her phone as she took a shower, the hot water making her momentarily forget her worries. She still had that rash and it hadn’t gone away in the slightest, which made the girl frown. Shrugging it off as she wrapped a towel around herself, her phone buzzed as she walked into her bedroom, her being sure to actually check it this time. 

**Ann:** i wonder if that gold medal is actually real. when did it get inside his palace?

 **Akira:** Morgana said it’s a fake.

 **Cecelia:** yeah, it would have to be.  
**Cecelia:** kamoshida would know something was up if that went missing

 **Ann:** cecelia! ur alive!!  
**Ann:** we were getting worried bout u 

**Cecelia:** yeah, i am. sorry.  
**Cecelia:** been a really busy day and i forgot to check my phone until akira nearly yelled at me for it

 **Ryuji:** Yore all good.  
**Ryuji:** M kinda mad that medal is a fake.

 **Ann:** “yore”? really  
**Ann:** and who cares about that, i’m just happy we changed his heart  
**Ann:** plus, it’d be stealing

 **Cecelia:** yeah, what ann said.  
**Cecelia:** we should just be happy because everything worked out like it needed to

 **Ryuji:** Yknow Ann, you seem to let go of thins easly.  
**Ryuji:** Wanna let got of my debt?

 **Cecelia:** debt..? should i even ask?

 **Ann:** that’s different  
**Ann:** 500 yen is a lot of money for a middle schooler

 **Cecelia:** ...oh my god  
**Cecelia:** are you two being serious?

 **Ann:** do u even still have that dolphin anyway?

 **Akira:** Dolphin?

 **Ryuji:** Stop bringin it up!

 **Cecelia:** wait  
**Cecelia:** you guys are talking about that aquarium trip? that was like three years ago 

**Ann:** yep! ryuji spent all his money on a souvenir so he didn’t have any money for the train fare

 **Ryuji:** i said i was sory  
**Ryuji:** it wa for my mom, anyway

 **Ann:** i guess i can forgive u after everything we’ve been thru

 **Ryuji:** ...Thank you

Rolling her eyes at the two blondes' antics, Cecelia just plugged her phone in as she got dressed into pyjamas. Stifling a yawn, the vice-president walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Grabbing Minako’s food bowl, she quickly fed the Shiba and then took out some leftovers for dinner, throwing the whole container in the microwave. As she waited for it to cook, she looked back at the events of the past week with a smile on her face. Yes, while it has been hard to manage at times, the Phantom Thieves made it through their first target, and everything turned out like it needed to.

She was just wondering where they would end up next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading guys! hope everyone is staying safe and well, and the next chapter will be up on Sunday. 
> 
> also, this is completely unrelated, but here is saint xenia's move set for anyone that was curious. 
> 
> trait: heavenly gaze (attacks that hit weaknesses will do 50% more damage for all party members)  
> kouha  
> makouha  
> dia  
> media  
> rakukaja  
> 


	20. 19 - concealed carry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia and Akira encounter problems when it comes to selling an Olympic medal.

Golden week was about as anticlimactic as Cecelia hoped it would be, her taking the time to catch up on the studying that got put on the backburner while her and the rest of the Phantom Thieves dealt with Kamoshida. With the break, the vice-president also took the time to organize her thoughts and finally, without any repercussions, allowed herself to feel truly happy about the fact that the former gym teacher was behind bars and unable to hurt anyone else. It almost didn’t seem real at first, that the man who caused the collective stress of so many students was finally gone, but it was true.

It was almost as if the students of Shujin Academy were finally letting out a breath that they didn’t know they were holding, and it fascinated the vice-president in a way she didn’t know how to describe fully. With her being the vice-president, the curly-haired girl had trained herself to observe the students that came to life around her as in-depth as she could manage at a given time, and she’s never seen such a drastic shift in the mood that befell the students so quickly. Yes, there were times, such as after exams, where an unspoken tension was lifted off of students, but even then, it was nothing as major as the uproar that was caused when the student body realised that Kamoshida was gone, and not coming back. 

Tugging on her jean skirt and sweater, the girl tied her curls up with a white ribbon, picking up her phone afterwards. Opening the group chat the four human persona users had together, the black-haired girl bit back a laugh as she typed out a message for the rest of the thieves to receive, her already expecting a certain eccentric blonde’s reaction.

 **Cecelia:** i’m just letting you guys know that we have exams starting the eleventh  
**Cecelia:** so i’d highly recommend using this downtime to study

 **Ryuji:** ugh, why di ya hafta remind me?!  
**Ryuji:** break just started

 **Cecelia:** if you guys are going to call me mom, i’m going to act like one  
**Cecelia:** and i know you need to study, ryuji  
**Cecelia:** you act like i can’t see you messing around in class during lectures

 **Ann:** mom’s right, we probably should study  
**Ann:** ryuji, with the way u spell, u should be concerned 4 the exams more then u r

 **Ryuji:** you dont even use ful words, like you can say anything

 **Ann:** whatever  
**Ann:** hey cecelia, would u be willing to help us?  
**Ann:** u and akira are the most responsible out of all of us

 **Cecelia:** i can do that  
**Cecelia:** how about after our celebration on the fifth? you guys could crash at my place  
**Cecelia:** my dad’s working so it’s not like we have to worry about any disturbances

 **Akira:** Sounds good.

 **Ann:** that works! see y’all then :)

Looking up from her phone as she walked through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, the blue-eyed girl blinked in surprise as she heard the clack of heels against the pavement and saw the grey hair and ruby eyes of Prosecutor Sae Niijima, who looked just as surprised to see the daughter of the police chief walking towards her. “Sae-san, it’s a surprise to see you back here. Is everything alright?” The question earned a smile from the older woman, the vice-president noticing that she and Makoto made very similar facial expressions. 

“Everything is quite alright, Cecelia. Thank you for your concern. I’m just checking out a coffee shop that Akechi recommended to me on my break, I’m not here for work purposes.” Ruby eyes scanned over the teenager’s face for a moment, concern showing in the older woman’s gaze. “I do hope you’re doing alright with the added stress that has been added to the student-council due to the arrest of Coach Kamoshida, both Makoto and your father have mentioned you briefly.”

Flushing slightly at the concern, the vice-president just nodded and smiled. “Everything is going as smoothly as it possibly can given the situation. I’m sure Makoto has told you this already, but our main concern is trying to figure out what to do now that the school is lacking a gym teacher.” The prosecutor nodded, gripping her purse. “I see. Makoto did mention that, but I never gave it much thought until now. I won’t keep you any longer, and it pleases me to know that you’re doing well.” Curls bounced as she nodded, the vice-president feeling her phone buzz in her bag as she smiled at the pantsuit-wearing woman.

“Likewise. Tell Makoto I said hi.” With that, Sae-san walked past Cecelia, the girl pulling out her phone to check her notifications. Unlocking it, the vice-president smiled to herself as she saw that it was, in fact, a text from Akira.

 **Akira:** Do you want to hang out?

 **Cecelia:** are you asking me that because you’re genuinely interested in my company, or you just want me to come with you so you can sell this medal?  
**Cecelia:** whatever the answer is, i’ll meet you at the station

 **Akira:** It’s a mix of both of those  
**Akira:** In return, I’ll keep you sending you cursed pictures of Morgana.

The black-haired girl let out a laugh at that, her recalling how last night at around three in the morning she got an onslaught of pictures from the frizzy-haired boy, all of them being of the blue-eyed feline ending up in obscure positions. 

**Cecelia:** you sent those unprompted, and i know you’re going to send me more nonetheless

 **Akira:** You’re saying that as if you don’t appreciate them  
**Akira:** You wound me, Cecelia

 **Cecelia:** yeah, yeah  
**Cecelia:** just meet me at the station. 

\---

Activating his third eye ability, Akira breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw the tarot card resembling The Aeon rotating above the black-haired girl’s head, her leaning up against one of the walls to the station and tapping on her phone. Pausing in his tracks, onyx eyes widened when she looked up, blue eyes squinting as she gave the wildcard one of her genuine smiles. 

Originally, the card above the vice-president’s head depicted a black silhouette of a woman in regal attire, a crown on her head and a staff in her hand. The gown that the woman wore spilt into the grown, a moon glowing behind her and illuminating pupilless eyes. Kneeling at her sides were two male figures. The one on the left had blood-red, bat-shaped wings, devil horns, and a tail with a point at the end. The only noticeable thing about the devil was that it had its hand on the woman’s gown, almost as if he was trying to tug her towards him. On the woman’s right side is what looked to be a fallen angel, it being a male silhouette that was dressed in stark white robes. White angel wings protruded from the back of the silhouette, and a holo hung above the angel’s head, almost transparent. The angel had its head hung in repentance, the woman’s hand almost stroking the grey, shoulder-length hair of the angel. 

That was how the card used to be, but, in a flash of blue flames, the card changed its appearance right before the onyx-eyed boy. The black background that the card previously had was now a brilliant red, it only having the woman and the devil. The woman had gotten rid of her staff and was now sitting on the lap of the devil, her stroking his face while his eyes stared straight ahead. A crown now sat lopsided on the devil’s head, one of his hands tangled in the grey hair of the woman. ‘The Aeon has made her choice’ is what Igor had said to him when the long-nosed man had summoned him randomly, so it made the glasses-wearing boy wonder if that had anything to do with such a drastic shift in the appearance of the card above the blue-eyed girl.

“Akira, is everything alright?” The gentle voice of Cecelia broke him out of the thoughts that had spontaneously filled his brain, her stopping in front of him with concern flashing in her eyes. He also noticed that the vice-president’s hand was slightly outstretched, almost as if she was going to subconsciously grab his own. Pushing his glasses up to hide the emotions that were flashing through his eyes at a very rapid pace, he instead smiled down at the girl, his racing heart slowing a bit as he met her gaze. “Everything’s fine, just thought I saw something.” He lied easily, a twinge of guilt forming.

The vice-president seemed to not believe him fully but accepted it nonetheless. Her hand dropped to her side as she adjusted her purse so it was higher up on her shoulder, looking towards the approaching subway train. Akira simply just watched the vice-president glance up to look at the display board, letting the sense of safety that she brought wash over him like a gentle wave. Arsene stirred within him as well, the original phantom thief letting himself be known. 

Unlike with his other confidants, the frizzy-haired boy found out that he didn’t need a persona bearing the Aeon Arcana to fully please the vice-president, which he found very refreshing. While each persona he switched to was indeed a part of himself, the boy found himself lacking any sort of authenticity when he had any other persona equipped than those of the Fool Arcana. The Lovers are big on dramatics and flashy things, The Chariot are eccentric and loud, and Death made the boy think things through over and over again, and they brought a fear of the unknown that was hard to shake off. The Aeon are pure, for the lack of a better word. There was no common theme of the attacking and supporting skills that they cast, but all of them had a healing skill in common. They held mischief, yes, but not as much as The Fool, and behind every playful taunt, there was an underlying concern. 

Stepping onto the train, Morgana made his appearance known, grumbling offhand about how stuffy the boy’s bag got sometimes, Cecelia just rolling her eyes and earning a smirk to form the onyx-eyed boy. “You know Morgana if it bothers you that much, you can just stay at Leblanc.” The boy said softly to the cat, watching as its eyes widened. “N-No! I-I don’t want to stay. Joker, you can’t be serious!” The feline stammered out, the glasses-wearing boy watching as the vice-president slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

Both of them had their bags on their laps as they exchanged small talk, and it caused the train ride to speed up exponentially. Akira felt as if he thrived in the presence of the vice-president more so than anyone else he has formed a bond with thus far, especially with the calming energy the curly-haired girl seemed to give off whenever he was around her. After he told her everything that he went through in order to get under the care of Sojiro, he felt as if there was some unspoken trust between the two black-haired persona users that intensifies whenever the two hung out. 

\---

Stepping off of the train, Cecelia walked by Akira’s side as he led her to where she assumed they were going to sell the medal. The vice-president wondered how the whole exchange would go down, and the person who was going to buy said medal wouldn’t ask too many questions as to where they got it. A gold, Olympic-looking medal was not the most common thing in the world, especially selling one. Thinking back on it, she probably should have come up with a story that was at least somewhat believable, but her mind was blank when it came to creating one. Walking down Shibuya central street with the wildcard, the blue-eyed girl tried to clear her mind of unspoken nerves. She had faith in the glasses-wearing boy, and he seemed confident in his ability to get this done, so who was she to doubt that?

Walking into the back alley where Untouchable was located, both black-haired persona users stopped in the tracks when they saw the two suited men whispering just before the shop. Blue eyes widened when she realized who they were, and she tugged on the sleeve of the blazer the wildcard was wearing to get his attention. Once onyx eyes met the blue of the smaller girl, she spoke up, keeping her voice barely above a whisper. “They’re detectives.” Was all she said at first, turning her attention back to the two older men. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to listen in on their conversation, “I don’t know them personally, but I remember my dad not liking them very much. If I remember correctly, they have a habit of jumping the gun on things.”

Akira nodded, him turning his attention from the vice-president to the two detectives. Without making themselves known, the persona users eavesdropped on their conversation, the black-haired girl chewing the inside of her cheek as she heard them mention the fact that they didn’t have a search warrant for whatever reason. Nodding at Akira, he took the girl’s hand and the two walked past the men and entered the shop, Cecelia being on the right-hand side of the glasses-wearing boy just in case that they happened to recognize her by some small chance. 

Stepping into the airsoft shop, the vice-president let go of the boy’s hand, not before giving his a reassuring squeeze. As the wildcard walked up to the rather gruff looking manager, the black-haired girl’s attention focused on the guns that were located in the display case near the back of the shop. The persona user recognized them as being the ones she used in the metaverse. They were steps above her own though, and her eyes caught onto one specific model that had a grey grip, the gun itself being a dark crimson. While she was looking at these guns, she was also somewhat paying attention, only looking up at Akira and the manager when he asked, “she with you?” and pointed towards the crouching figure of the vice-president. When the glasses-wearing boy nodded, the man mumbled something to himself, looking down at the medal that was now sitting on his countertop. 

As Cecelia walked over, the manager spoke up, his voice raspy. “How does 30,000 yen sound for it.” Hiding her shock, the blue-eyed girl glanced over at the onyx-eyed boy, seeing surprise flickering through his eyes for a split second. “It works for us.” He said simply, the manager crossing his arms over his chest and smirking. After the exchange was made, the manager glanced at the time, mumbling something to himself again. “Hey, kid. Take this. You look innocent enough that they won’t suspect a thing.” He said to the curly-haired girl, practically shoving a paper bag into the vice-president’s arms. The girl could feel cold metal through the thin, brown paper of the big, but she just nodded. Shoving it into her purse, the man looked happy at the girl’s compliance, his expression turning sour when the bell above the door chimed and in walked the two detectives.

Akira and Cecelia glanced at each other, the vice-president chewing the inside of her cheek as she felt the tension rise in the airsoft shop. Saint Xenia made herself known at this exact moment also, the grey-skinned saint trying to calm the agitation that was rising in her holder with every second, the girl just adjusting the strap of her purse. As the man in the khaki-coloured suit spoke up, the black-haired girl felt the wildcard’s hand snake around her waist and pull her slightly closer to him, almost as if he was trying to hide her behind him. Glancing at the boy, she saw that any emotion he had previously on his face was gone, replaced by a deadpan stare.

“Munehisa Iwai, yes? There are some matters we’d like to discuss with you today.” The vice-president recognized that voice from the times when she delivered things to her father at the police station, him nearly getting the blue-eyed girl kicked out that first time due to the fact that he didn’t know who the girl was. Iwai breathed out a curse under his breath, silently gesturing for the two black-haired teenagers to leave the shop and both of them made their way to the door as the two detectives walked up to the counter, the man in the black suit’s glare making them stop in their tracks. “You two, stay.” He barked out, and the grip on the vice-president’s waist tightened. 

Iwai acknowledged all of this with a scowl apparent on his features, not making eye contact with the two teenagers. “Do you know why we’re here?” The man in the khaki suit spoke up again, the scowl disappearing from the store owner’s face as a bitter playfulness filled his voice. “I dunno, lookin’ for evidence? You tell me, Mr. Detective.” Apparently not liking that nickname, the man in the black suit slammed his hands on the counter, it making Cecelia flinch slightly and Akira to glance at her in concern, tugging her closer slightly.

There was a ringing in the vice-president’s ears as Iwai teased them lightly, saying that they could search him if they wished. The two detectives did not look happy at that, and the man in the khaki suit turned his attention to the two black-haired persona users instead, raising an eyebrow at the two of them. “You passed it off to these kids, didn’t you? Why don’t we just search them instead?” That earned a glare from the glasses-wearing boy, and the blue eyes of the vice-president narrowed as she gripped her purse. “As if you have a warrant for that. In fact, judging how you didn’t present it when you first entered this shop, I would have to say that you didn’t even have one, to begin with. 

Everyone’s attention turned to the black-haired girl, crossing her arms over chest. Even Iwai looked shocked, his eyes widening ever so slightly. The detective in black just narrowed his eyes at the girl, spitting out, “who do you think you are, bitch?! I’ll have you know that we can arrest you for not complying with us.” At the mention of arrest, the boy next to her inhaled sharply, and it made the vice-president’s annoyance with the two grow. 

Shaking off the glasses-wearing boy’s grip on her, Cecelia stepped forward, her gaze unwavering as she spoke. “This “bitch”, as you so crudely described me as, happens to be the daughter of Chief Akamatsu, who also happens to be your supervisor. And, I’d like to see you try to arrest me for simply speaking up due to the fact that the two of you are the ones in the wrong for unlawful search.” Seeing the two of the detective’s faces pale, the girl just hummed to herself. “That’s what I thought. I’d also recommend that you check with who gave you the lead to come here unless you would like to hear from my father when you return to the station.” She added as the two detectives glanced at each other. 

Turning to Akira, she saw the smirk that was beginning to form on his face, it mirroring her own. “I’ll be outside if you need me.” She said simply earning a nod from the wildcard. Walking towards the door, she turned her attention back to the two detectives. “Just for future notice, I’d recommend that you don’t call law-abiding citizens “bitches” because it really lowers my opinion of you both.” Smiling serenely, the bell attached to the door jingled as the vice-president stepped out from the air-conditioned shop and into the warm May air, her pushing the sleeves of her sweater up on her arms.

The bag that was haphazardly shoved inside her purse crinkled as she moved it to find her phone, her breathing out a curse as she brushed her hair away from her face and secured it behind her ear. The vice-president didn't like being that mean to people on purpose, there were simply times when it was simply necessary. The black-haired girl didn't want to get caught with God knows what was in the paper bag that Iwai gave to her, because, no matter who her father was, there was only so much he could cover for when it came to the possession of possibly illegal objects or substances. 

Though the vice-president heard the door to the airsoft shop open and close multiple times, the black-haired girl didn’t look up from her phone until she heard a pair of shoes stop in front of her. When she looked up, her blue eyes met the concerned onyx of Akira, a small smile filling her face. “Are you okay?” He asked softly, Morgana finally appearing out of the brown bag that the wildcard carried. “You really went off there, Mom,” the feline stated, making the girl flush slightly. 

“Yeah, I know. Want to get lunch? I’ll talk more there.” She said with a smile, the glasses-wearing boy smiling in return and nodding slightly. Placing her phone back into her purse, the vice-president frowned slightly when she pulled out the paper bag, looking at it curiously. “Did Iwai say he wanted this back?” Cecelia asked, Akira shaking his head. “No, he just said to bring it back the next time we come to the shop,” he started, and, with a moment’s hesitation, he added, “want to see what it is?”

Giggling at the boy’s antics, the curly-haired girl nodded, stopping in her tracks when she glanced inside the paper bag. “Holy shit,” She said, her eyes wide. Seeing the girl’s reaction, both Morgana and Akira peered into the bag, the wildcard’s expression mirroring her own. “I-Is t-that a real gun?!” The cat exclaimed, his tail flicking rapidly. After getting over her shock, the vice-president shook her head, folding the bag over again and shoving it back into her purse. “I highly doubt it. It’s just a fake, but it’s way above anything we have at the moment.” Turning her attention from the cat to Akira once again, the girl gestured for them to leave the alleyway where the airsoft shop was located and back onto Shibuya Central Street. Entering Big Bang Burger, it was only when the two black-haired thieves sat down that the feline spoke up once again. ”Maybe you could mention the next time you buy something from him, Joker.” 

The boy simply nodded in response, Cecelia chewing the inside of her cheek for a moment. It was only after the two black-haired thieves thanked the waitress for their food that the vice-president spoke up, concern heavy in her voice. “Just, be careful, okay? There’s clearly something going on if detectives went to the shop.” The glasses-wearing boy, who was sitting across from the smaller girl, smiled, his eyes flashing underneath his glasses. “I will, thank you, Cecelia.” 

The two exchanged small talk as they ate the rest of their meals, the blue-eyed girl just letting herself enjoy the presence of the wildcard as much as she could. Whenever the two were together, something eventful seemed to happen, and, while she didn’t mind hanging out with Akira in the slightest, there were some things that she would rather not be faced with. Finishing her meal, the girl watched as the glasses-wearing boy discreetly fed Morgana fries, the cat’s pink nose scrunching at the amount of salt on it. Giggling at the two and playfully rolling her eyes. Hearing her phone chime, the girl’s eyebrows furrowed as she pulled her phone out, tapping out a reply as she sighed.

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to go to work. My boss just texted me and apparently they’re really busy right now.” Akira looked up and nodded, giving the vice-president a reassuring smile to the girl. “You’re fine, I completely understand. Stay safe, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Nodding and smiling at the wildcard, Cecelia stood up and brushed her skirt off, shouldering her purse again. Walking out of the booth seat, she stopped at the two persona users keeping her voice low so other customers didn’t overhear her. “I’ll stop by Leblanc to drop the gun off after work.”

\---

After being handed her pay, the girl quickly caught the subway train back to Yongen-Jaya, the nighttime air cooling the sweat that formed on her skin from working for so long. Cecelia’s boss wasn’t lying when they said they were busy; she barely had time to tie her apron before three customers all ordered handmade bouquets form the vice-president and her boss. They managed though, and the blue-eyed girl got a hefty bonus out of it, so all in all, it wasn’t the worse scenario.

The bell to Leblanc chimed as the girl walked in, Akira looking up from where he was studying and smiling at the girl. “You look tired, was it that bad?” The boy asked, noticing how some of her makeup rubbed off and the dirt that stained her hands black. The vice-president just nodded and exhaled, taking the paper bag that had gotten progressively more wrinkled over the day’s events and placing it on the table in front of the wild-card. “Can’t say that I feel 100% right now, that’s for sure. Everyone in Shibuya apparently needed a bouquet today.” The wildcard chuckled at that, the sound being bliss to the tired girl’s ears. “Have you eaten? Sojiro made extra curry today, and I could make you some coffee if you’d like.”

Accepting the offer, the vice-president gestured to the paper bag as the boy closed his schoolbooks. “I can put this and your books upstairs if you’d like.” She offered, the boy nodded. Taking the stack of books and placing the paper bag on top of it, the wooden steps up to the attic of Leblanc creaked under the weight of the girl. Placing the books on the counter that prevented people from falling onto the stairs, the blue-eyed girl smiled at the sight of Morgana curled up in the middle of Akira’s bed. Grabbing the paper bag, she crossed the room and placed it discreetly on the workbench behind tools so that if Sojiro ever came up into the attic, he wouldn’t find it and question it. After that, she glanced at the shelf that was pushed up against the wall, her head tilting quizzically at the bowl of ramen that was just sitting in the middle of the shelf. 

Walking downstairs, Cecelia sat down at the barstool she normally sat at, the glasses-wearing boy placing a cup of coffee in front of her. Wrapping her hands around the cup, the girl tiredly smiled as she raised it to her lips, her raising an eyebrow at the taste. “You’re getting better at making these,” the girl complimented, the boy looking up from the stove and rubbing the back of his neck as he flushed. “Thanks, Sojiro has been teaching me.” After placing a plate of curry in front of the girl, Akira poured himself a cup of coffee and sat next to the girl, a gentle smile filling his face involuntarily as he watched the girl eat. “I saw the bowl of ramen on your shelf, what’s that about?” The vice-president asked between bites of food, a playful smile filling the boy’s face. 

“Ryuji gave it to me,” he started, watching as the girl snorted and tried not to shoot coffee everywhere from laughing, “don’t laugh, he meant well.” He said although amusement was laced in his voice. “I know- I know,” Cecelia said, trying to stifle her laughter, “It’s just..a very Ryuji gift to give.” She said, breaking out into laughter afterwards. The wildcard laughed along with her, and as she wiped a stray tear from her eyes from laughing, Cecelia realized that this is where she wanted to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cecelia akamatsu (the aeon) - rank four  
> NEW SKILL! intimidation factor - starts all ambushes with a chance to lower all enemies accuracy and evasion
> 
> words cannot express how sorry i am that it's taken me this long to update. long story short, i had a really nasty infection in me that was causing me to be bedridden for a week straight, and i had to have a minor surgical procedure to get rid of it for good. it's still in the process of healing, but I'm feeling much better now, so I'm back to updating. i am so so so sorry that it's been so long, and i am not giving up on this story, it's just that i have been physically unable to update due to things going on in my life. i hope y'all can forgive me, and I'm back now, and i promise it won't happen again. the next chapter will be up by Sunday, if not before then.
> 
> i hope everyone is staying safe and well, and thank you for your continued support despite me flaking so many times. i truly appreciate each and every one of you.


	21. 20 - the phantoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia has an unexpected run-in with someone who she doesn't know, and The Phantoms become an official organization.

There was a thrum in Cecelia’s head as her alarm went off, her grabbing her phone from its usual spot on her bedside table. Dismissing it, the vice-president forced herself into a sitting position, Minako not stirring from where she was curled on the white duvet of the black-haired girl. Opening her messages from the night prior, she wasn’t surprised when she got a barrage of texts from Ann, the model sharing her excitement with the other the female persona user about going to a high-end buffet. The enthusiasm the pigtail-wearing girl had was very contagious, and, as the vice-president went to bed last night, she found herself looking forward to the event more than she thought she would. 

Socked feet hit the wooden floor of her bedroom as the girl climbed out of bed and stretched, her wrists cracking in the process. Stifling a yawn, black curls were tousled as she ran a hand through her hair, making her way to her closet. Pulling out the dress that she had gotten with the model the last time the two hung out together alone, there was a moment of hesitation before the vice-president decided to wear it, also pulling out the grey shirt she bought to wear underneath it. It was now getting too hot for her to worry about layers, so the blue-eyed girl decided to skip wearing a pair of tights underneath it. After getting dressed, the vice-president made her way to the bathroom, her staring at her appearance in the mirror. Reaching for her makeup bag, the girl paused momentarily when she saw herself in the mirror, eyebrows furrowing. Everything was normal, then, for a split second, her appearance changed.

Standing in front of her was a version of Cecelia that looked older, at least more tired. Dark circles dusted underneath her eyes, and dried blood covered the skin below her nose. Black curls were more unruly than usual, and tears were running down her face. Dressed in a grey, knit wool scarf and a white jacket, they did nothing but make the girl look smaller than usual, the clothes hiding the girl’s figure. The present Cecelia was entrapped in the gaze of herself, wondering what happened to get her to look like that, only being broken out of the trance that she was lulled in by the chime of her phone.

After checking her messages, the vice-president turned back to the mirror, her confused expression staring back at her this time. Sighing, the black-haired girl tried to clear her head and get rid of the increasing headache by focusing her attention back on the sparkly makeup bag she had gotten from a distant relative last Christmas, her pulling out what she needed for the day and lining it up on the white counter. She couldn’t even begin to fathom what that was about, and she knew it would just leave her with more questions if she thought about it too much. Instead, she worried about making herself more presentable and getting herself out the door in a timely manner. She had promised Akira that she would meet him outside of Leblanc like they always did, and the vice-president didn’t want to keep him waiting for long. 

After doing her makeup, the black-haired girl ran a hand through her hair and called it a day, her not having the energy to braid it. Instead, she just made her way back into her room and grabbed her purse, placing her phone in it and shrugging it on her shoulder. Slipping on a pair of grey ballet flats, Minako finally stirred from where she was sleeping on the end of the girl’s bed and hopped off of it, tail wagging at her owner. Smiling at the dog, the vice-president quickly made her bed and walked downstairs, feeding the Shiba quickly before checking that nothing else needed to be done. Feeling satisfied, the vice-president opened the front door, and, making sure it was locked, stepped outside and closed it behind her, making her way through the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya as she did every day.

Reaching the cafe, the girl was surprised to not find the wildcard standing outside, her pulling her phone out from her bag and preparing to write him a message. She wouldn’t be surprised if he overslept, the two of them both were up late last night. But, as if on queue, Akira nearly sprinted out of the shop, stopping in his tracks when he saw the female persona user standing in front of him. “Hey, I’m sorry. Boss made me do dishes this morning and almost wouldn’t let me leave.” The glasses-wearing boy explained, him rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you wait long?”

Shaking her head at the question, the vice-president just smiled at the boy’s explanation, not noticing the ways his eyes were scanning her body slightly. “No, I just got here, no need to worry.” Noticing the glasses-wearing boy’s attention elsewhere, the blue-eyed girl frowned. Saint Xenia was also stirring in her more than usual, the grey-skinned Saint making herself known and trying to soothe the headache that was worse than it normally. “Akira?” Cecelia called, tilting her head to the side. That broke the boy out of his trance, and his onyx eyes meeting her blue. “Yeah, sorry. Let’s go to the station.” Was what the boy said quickly, and almost dismissively. The vice-president chewed the inside of her cheek and simply nodded, almost missing the pink that lightly dusted the wildcard’s cheeks. 

\---

Akira Kurusu should not feel this way, especially about someone who he hadn’t known for barely a month. Yes, Cecelia Akamatsu was prettier than the girl’s he had dated back in his hometown, but, even so, he knew that he shouldn’t be this attracted to the vice-president, no matter how pretty she was to him. He had to keep his emotions in check, think things through rationally. Arséne was also stirring within him, the true phantom thief simply chuckling at his holder’s reaction to the other persona user. _Thou must keep desires at bay_ , was what the gentleman demon reminded the wildcard, and the onyx-eyed boy had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from sending back a snarky remark to “the other version of himself”.

He knew there was something deeper between the two of them that neither of them could explain, from the fact that there persona’s talk to each other and the power they share, along with the connection that went deeper than any of the other confidants that he managed to strike deals with. There was also the fact that he truly didn’t know that much about the vice-president, despite having talked with her multiple times. Usually, with his other confidants, they had some goal that the frizzy-haired boy helped them achieve, whether they actively stated it or not. With Cecelia, however, there was no sign of anything of that sort, instead, it was Akira that ended up spilling more about himself than he truly realized. It was almost as if the blue-eyed girl had some kind of wall around her, making it hard to know what she was truly thinking. From observing her communicating with other students and teachers, the wildcard knew that she was extremely good at keeping her emotions in check, and it was hard to figure out what she was truly feeling.

Breaking out his thoughts, the persona user rolled his eyes at the two blonde’s who were sitting at each end of the large table, both of them talking with their mouth’s full of expensive food. Numerous plates full of various types of food covered the table, the vice-president who was next to him eyeing it all warily. “You two are going to make yourselves sick.” She stated simply, a motherly tone filling her voice before she placed a forkful of pasta into her mouth. The vice-president also obtained a plate of sushi for Morgana, the glasses-wearing boy discreetly feeding the cat.

“C’mon Cecelia, lighten up! This IS our celebration party- ooh, this part’s cream cheese!” The two black-haired thieves simply glanced at each other when Ann got distracted from her lecture by the dessert she had in one hand. Sweatdropping, Akira watched as the vice-president shook her head, a smile on her face nonetheless. The conversation quickly changed, however, when the model finished part of her desert and spoke up, the wildcard turning his attention from the Aeon arcana to the Lovers. “Oh yeah, I heard the police were coming to interview some of the students at Shujin.” The girl said, any humour that she had in her blue eyes previously replaced with seriousness. 

“That’s troublesome,” Morgana started, his ears pressed flat against his head. “Mom, do you think your dad will be apart of them?” The cat asked, and all of the four persona users turned their attention to the girl who had just placed another forkful of pasta into her mouth. Making a panicked sort of noise, the vice-president’s eyes going wide as she tried to quickly finish her food. After swallowing, the girl spoke up, her eyes trained on her plate as she placed her fork on the now-empty ceramic surface. “I doubt it. If they’re doing interviews, they would have detectives rather than police officers. They’re trained to catch things that go hidden from the human eye, like mannerisms and nervous habits. They also are more trained in communicating with people than regular police officers.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, the other four thieves sat on that for a couple of seconds, Ryuji speaking up with his eyebrows furrowed. “Huh? I thought ya dad was at the last couple of times the police were called?” He asked, the vice-president turning his attention to the blonde who had a large amount of meat on his plate. “The first was because I was directly involved; he doesn’t normally come to events like that unless it’s absolutely necessary. And the second is because of Kamoshida’s mental state and the crimes he confessed to. From a technical standpoint, he is the man that most of the people related to the law answer to- despite prosecutors and special investigators, along with higherup detectives- so he’s told me that if it’s not the most dangerous criminal there is, he’s usually there.” The artificial-blonde boy nodded at that, turning his attention back to the various pieces of meat he had at his disposal.

“There’s nothing that we should worry about it-ç'est la vie. It’s not as if they have anything to pin against us, so, if anything, acting cautious would make them more suspicious of us.” The girl said before standing up and walking over to the buffet to get more food. “Wait for a second, did she just speak French?!” Ann cried out, Ryuji looking up. “So that’s what that was.” He muttered. “Nevermind that, look at this.” He said as the vice-president came back, her plate full of food for both her and Morgana. “The Phantom Aficionado Website?” Ann questioned, and Akira watched as Cecelia read off random words of encouragement that were posted on the forum part. 

As Ann and Ryuji talked about their growing popularity, the wildcard noticed that Cecelia was absentmindedly playing with her food. Thinking back on it, she hasn’t seemed like herself for the whole time they were at the buffet, and it made a frown appear on his features. The other thieves didn’t notice, but, as she picked herself up, the black-haired thief made a mental note to ask if everything was okay later. 

\---

Cecelia’s head was pounding as she watched the three thieves scramble out of their respective seats, claiming that there wasn’t enough time to eat everything that they wanted to eat. Truth be told, she was still caught up in the version of herself she saw in the mirror this morning, and it’s thrown her off of her track completely. “Xenia,” She mumbled, the grey-skinned Saint emerging more prominent in the girl’s head and heart. “Did you know what that was about?” She asked before shoving another forkful of food into her mouth.

_I do not, my child, and I am deeply sorry for that. Also, I could not feel myself with you at that moment either. But do not worry, whatever happens, it is long in the future._

What was meant to be comforting for the girl just brought forth a new sense of dread, her eyebrows furrowing. What happened so that she lost her persona? Exhaling harshly, the girl shoved down her emotions as the four thieves came back, smiling at them and then raising an eyebrow at the amount of food that was obtained. “You guys really took civility out of the window with this, huh.” She stated as Akira sat down in his space next to her, only a small plate of food full. “I tried to remind them that they have to eat all fo this, but they didn’t listen.” He said, earning a light laugh. 

Somehow, the two boys managed to eat it all, and then Ryuji claimed he had to puke. The vice-president just sighed and stood up, brushing off her dress. “Ryuji, we’re going to the bathroom. Now.” The girl stated firmly, watching as the glasses-wearing boy next to her smiling slightly at the motherly tone. The blonde just nodded, standing up and walking with the vice-president to find them. It was not before the five thieves heard the disapproving gossip about the amount of food the ate, it the girl just shrugged it off as Ryuji nearly yelled at them from the outburst. Before the brown-eyed boy could say any more, the vice-president, with a scowl on her face, tugged harshly on the boy’s purple jacket. “Let’s go before you throw up all over the table and actually give them a reason to dislike us.” She hissed the blonde nodding.

“I can’t believe you actually threw up. I told you not to make yourself sick.” The black-haired girl said as they walked up to the elevator, her flats making little noise against the expensive flooring. “You’re lucky that you made it to the bathroom in time.” She said as the stopped in front of the elevator, watching the blonde push the button to call one. “You’re telling me. I totally panicked when I saw the “Closed for Cleaning” signs.” Cecelia just sighed, a fond smile on her face as she shook her head. “You know, Ryuji, if you told me two months ago I’d be friends with you, I think I would’ve laughed in your face and told you your insane.” She said with a lopsided grin on her face. The blonde just grinned in return, his brown eyes shining. 

“Yeah, same here. And to think I was scared of ya ‘cause you’re on the student council.” Rolling her eyes at the statement, the conversation died as the elevator dinged, the two thieves preparing to go back to the buffet. They were stopped by a businessman pushing into them and making them stumble backwards, the girl not letting her agitation show despite her chewing her cheek harshly to keep herself in check. “What the-” Ryuji exclaimed as a bald man in glasses stepped forward, not noticing the two teenagers. 

“There’s still no update on the case?” Was the question that left the man’s mouth, the vice-president’s eyebrows furrowing. His voice sounded familiar to her, but not noticeable enough that she could put her finger on it. “N-Not yet sir,” a man who was with him stammered out, confusion mixed with fear. “But pardon me, why do you care so much?” That was a bad question to ask, and a scowl appeared on the bald man’s face. “Like it matters to you, you incompetent buffoon! When I say pick up the pace, you do it!”

Ryuji, not caring about the fact that the men were far more powerful than the two thieves and the fact that they could easily crush the two, spoke up, eyebrows furrowed and anger in his voice. That made the vice-president freeze in her tracks, inwardly screaming at the ex-runner for not reading the room. “...What do you want?” The previously stuttering man said, venom in his voice. Before the blonde could say any more, the vice-president shoved Ryuji behind her, an apologetic smile on her face, it not reaching her eyes. “Nothing sir, we’re sorry for any trouble or inconvenience we may cause.” She said as sweetly as she could muster, stomping on the blonde’s foot when he opened his mouth to say something. 

Hearing a feminine voice startled the man, and he turned his attention to Cecelia, who was still trying to keep Ryuji in check. Meeting the blue eyes of the vice-president, his own widened ever so slightly. “...What is your name?” The man asked, startling both persona users and the men around him. With furrowed brows, the girl responded, bowing her head at them. “Akamatsu Cecelia, sir.” She said, the man nodding to himself. “Akamatsu, I see. I suppose that’s why.” He said trailing off. Chewing the inside of her cheek, they just watched as the men all got into the elevator, it closing behind them.

“What the fuck was that?! And why did he ask for your name?!” Ryuji exclaimed, and the vice-president turned to him, her heart going a mile a minute. “I don’t know, Ryuji. And I don’t want to know, to be honest. I just hope I’m not on his shit list.” Her head was swirling with so many questions, and all she wanted to do now was go home and maybe take a nap. “Let’s just find the stairs so we can get out of here.” She said, walking off. 

\---

“Ugh, I just can’t believe people sometimes!” Ann exclaimed, looking up from her textbook. They were all now at the Akamatsu household, all of them sitting around the dining room table. It was at this point were Ryuji had told them what had happened, and Akira’s hand had found Cecelia’s and gave it a comforting squeeze as she tried to figure out a complicated math problem. “I’m just sick of it,” she mumbled, the wildcard nodding from beside her.

“..I wonder if we can change those kinda people too.” The ex-runner said solemnly, causing the black-haired girl to look up from her now completed math homework. The model perked up at that, and the glasses-wearing boy just looked between the two blondes before turning back to his history work. “You wanna continue as the Phantom Thieves?” The pigtailed girl asked slightly in disbelief, the other blonde nodding. “I mean, think about it. Despite changing Kamoshida’s heart, nobody believes in us. Wouldn’t it be nice if that changed?”

“We shouldn’t change hearts for popularity’s sake. If we’re going to do this, we need to help people who are actually in trouble, rather than do it simply because people want us to.” The vice-president spoke up, her blue eyes deadly serious. “I..I agree. If we ignore people, I’d revert back into my old self.” Ann said, her eyes downtrodden and swirling with multiple emotions. This is when Morgana spoke up, somehow inflating his ego at the same time. “You’re under my tutelage. There’s nothing we can’t do as the phantom thieves!”

There was a silence among them for a minute, the vice-president taking the time to cross her homework as completed in her planner. “But, if we’re going to do this, we’ll have to fight shadows again, right?” It was at this moment where Cecelia’s phone rang, and, looking at the caller ID, she saw that it was her father. Grabbing her phone and booking it upstairs, she answered it quickly. “Dad? Is everything okay?” She asked, concern lacing her voice.

“Everything is fine, Lia. And, I apologize for asking you this, but can you bring my overnight bag to the station? I know you’re with friends, but I need it for tonight.” Haruki Akamatsu’s voice came through the speaker somewhat static, but his daughter still understood what he was trying to say. “I can do that, you’re completely fine. Can you just tell security that I’m coming so that don’t try to arrest me again? It’d be appreciated.” She said, smiling as she heard her dad chuckle on the other end of the line. “Of course, and thank you. I’ll see you then, I love you.”

“I love you too dad, I’ll see you then.” With that, the vice-president hung up and walked downstairs, hearing the four thieves still talking about the Phantom Thieves becoming an official group. “Everything okay, mom?” Morgana asked, and the black-haired girl nodded. “Yeah, just my dad needs me to bring his overnight bag to the station later,” She said softly, sitting down in her chair. “Akira, had you decided the name for us yet?” Cecelia asked, her blue eyes trained on the wildcard.

“The Phantoms.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm sorry this chapter is somewhat shorter; I've been having internet issues and am feeling unwell. Thank you for your support thus far, and I hope everyone is staying safe and well! The next chapter is going to be longer, and it should be up on Wednesday.


	22. 21 - wish that you were here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Cecelia is reminded of someone who she didn't necessarily wanted to be, and Goro Akechi, in her eyes, starts to look a little too perfect

The Tokyo Police Station was a rather imitating building, it being a dull, dark grey and having no direction other than ‘POLICE’ in large, silver letters above the glass doors. Cecelia’s flats clicked against the concrete steps up to the doors of the building, pink lips pressed in a straight line as she passed the cherry blossom trees that lined each side of the stairs. Gripping her dad’s overnight bag- which happened to be a generic, dark blue, sports bag- and pulling it up on her shoulder some more, the vice-president stopped in front of the glass door, her reflection staring back at her. Brushing a stray curl out of her face and tucking it behind her ear, the blue-eyed girl opened the door and stepped inside, the warm, May air being replaced by the cold blast of air conditioning.

The front of the police station was pretty much empty, save for the female officer behind the desk who was aggressively typing on the computer stationed there. Walking up to her, the woman’s eyebrows furrowed in thought as she paused from typing, not looking up at the vice-president. “Name and reason you’re here,” she said with a sigh, before resuming typing again, her voice monotone. “Akamatsu Cecelia, and I’m here to see my father, Chief Akamatsu.” The girl stated with the same monotone laced in her voice. By now she had done this countless times, and the nerves that came with the first few encounters had long since dissipated. 

Not expecting that answer, the woman looked up at the vice-president, shock flashing through brown eyes for a brief second before her lips quirked into the hint of a smile. “Ah, so you’re Akamatsu-san. Chief Akamatsu did mention that you would be coming this afternoon. I trust that you know the way?” Once the curly-haired girl nodded, the woman’s smile got a hint larger. “Excellent.” Was all she replied with, the vice-president taking it as a sign to simply smile back and move from the front desk. 

Walking through a slightly ajar wooden door, the vice-president was greeted by two male police officers, their stances relaxing slightly as they saw who it was. “Ah, Akamatsu-san! Good to see you. I trust that you’re here to see your old man again?” Smiling at the older officer, Cecelia dumped both her purse and her father’s overnight bag onto the conveyor belt, so that it could go through inspection. “Yes sir, though it’s more than just me visiting.” The girl replied with a grin, her stepping into the metal detector and letting the older officer read the computer screen. After stepping through and getting her belongings, the older man just gave the vice-president a smile. “Well, no matter the reason, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.” Simply nodding at the older man, the girl made her way into the main part of the police station. 

The aura in this area of the station was much more pleasant, while still having the same imitating vibe as the reception area. Tile floors reflected the yellow glow of lights that hung from the high ceilings, and offices lined the hallway that she was now walking down. Entering the large seating area, the vice-president was surprised to find multiple uniformed officers briskly walking through the area, all of them not paying any mind to the chief’s daughter. Stopping in front of a wooden door with a translucent glass window that read ‘Haruki Akamatsu, Police Chief’ in golden letters, the girl gripped the doorknob and opened it, stepping into the office and shutting the door behind her. 

“I know, Fukinashi-san. The increasing mental shutdown cases are a danger to society, but you do have to realize that the police department only has so much power-” Haruki’s sentence was abruptly cut off by a staticky voice coming through the other end of the phone, his grey eyes widening. “What? But he’s only a politician, there’s no way he has that much power.” Frowning at the confusion laced in her father’s voice, the girl simply placed the dark blue overnight bag up against the grey wall and sat in one of the plush armchairs that were on the opposite side of the desk from where her father was pacing, running a hand through his greying hair. 

Blue eyes darted from the stressed figure and to a picture frame that was facing the vice-president, her grabbing it with eyebrows furrowed. This wasn’t here the last time that she visited, though she would admit that it had been a couple of months. 

Cecelia was ten in this picture; it was from when they first moved to Japan from France all of those years ago. In this picture, her curly hair was shoulder length, and her toothy grin showed that she had a few of her baby teeth missing. She was dressed in a mint dress that had white flowers all over it, and flip flops adorned her feet. Haruki was dressed in khakis with a teal polo tucked into it, and he was holding his daughter in one arm. A fond smile filled the vice-president’s face, but that smile dropped slightly when she saw the other person in the picture. “Luka..” She murmured, looking at the teenage boy in the photo.

Luka Akamatsu was dressed in dark blue jeans and a tan flannel, the sleeves rolled up. Black hair was styled to push it out of his face, and grey eyes shined with a humorous light that the vice-president found shining in her eyes more often these days. Frowning at the picture of her older brother, the blue eyes of the younger Akamatsu fluttered shut as Saint Xenia made herself known, the grey-skinned woman trying to soothe her holder’s distress. Opening her eyes again, they narrowed slightly, hurt flashing through them for a brief moment as she let her guard down. 

“Thank you for informing me, Fukinashi-san. Please keep me updated if you find any new information,” the sound of her father nearing the end of his conversation broke Cecelia out of her trance, placing the picture back on the desk by his nameplate and crossing her legs over one another and drawing her attention to the police chief, him running a hand over his face as he let out a tired sort of laugh. “I know, I know. Tell your wife hello for me, will you? One of these days I’ll bring Lia over and we’ll have a nice dinner together, all of us.” Another laugh left his mouth, it being more genuine this time. “Sounds good. Goodbye.” Hanging up the call and throwing it onto the paper covered desk, Haruki sat down in his chair and smiled at his daughter, who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. 

“Should I ask, dad?” The vice-president questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. “You didn’t seem too happy during the former half of that phone call.” She stated simply, watching her dad arrange papers into not-so neat piles, grey eyes scanning one of them before placing it on the keyboard of his computer. “It’s nothing that you need to worry about, Lia. Just people sticking their nose in things more than they should is becoming an increasing problem around here.” He stated with a sigh, his eyes looking downtrodden for a second, his daughter’s heart feeling like it was getting squeezed for a split second.

“Nevermind that, I promise I didn’t bring you here to make you upset. Let’s go for a walk; there’s something that I need to bring to the SIU director anyway. Plus, I want to hear about how school is going, we haven’t had that much time to talk as of late.” Nodding, the two Akamatsus stood up, the police chief grabbing a file full of paperwork and his phone. As the two of them left the office, the two of them exchanged small talk, the vice-president noticing that all of the officers around seemed to stop when noticing the police chief and his daughter. 

Despite the two of them sharing a pleasant conversation, there was a sense of dread that was in the bottom of Cecelia’s stomach that she couldn’t shake, and she found herself chewing the inside of her cheek without realizing it, it becoming a nervous tick of hers. “Whatcha thinking about?” Her father asked, him noticing his daughter’s faraway expression. “Oh, it’s nothing.” She felt bad for lying to her father, but there were too many things swirling around in her head to make sense of it. Xenia was becoming even more prominent in the girl’s mind also, and, while it was helping calm the girl, it was also making her more on edge at the same time.

Sighing, Cecelia fiddled with a curl as she waited for her father to finish talking to the SIU director, her feeling extremely out of place with the current situation. The vice-president shifted her weight from one leg to the other, tapping on her phone screen and frowning when she didn’t see any new messages. Staring at her lockscreen, which was still the photo of her, Ann, and Shiho, she almost didn’t hear a familiar voice call her name, looking up to see Goro Akechi walk towards her. 

“Cecelia, it’s a surprise to see you here,” the Detective Prince started with brown eyes wide. In this light, they almost looked completely crimson, and there was something in them that was unreadable. Smiling, the vice-president placed her phone back into her purse, turning her attention to the boy as he continued his sentence, “is everything alright?” Nodding, the blue-eyed girl simply brushed a curl out of her face as she spoke. “Everything’s fine, Goro. I’m here with my father.”

“Ah, I see. Well, would you mind if I borrowed some of your time?” 

\---

While Goro Akechi was surprised to find the vice-president of Shujin Acadmey’s student council standing in his place of work, he wouldn’t lie and say it wasn’t a pleasant one. Everything was falling into place, in more ways than he could even list off of his fingertips. There were only formal greetings and purely filler small talk exchanged while Chief Akamatsu was pleasant, but the chestnut-haired boy was now enjoying the calming silence that showed the blue-eyed girl was thinking a little too hard about things for her own good at this point. When the conversation died for the first time that evening, there was a gentle voice in his head at first. _Remember your place here, boy, it reminded him, in order to obtain what we want, we must be patient._

If there was one thing the detective knew, it was patience. Everything he did was in the act of patience. There were bigger things that he was destined for, the voices that rang in his head at the most inopportune moments signaled that. They themselves were an oxymoron, foils of each other if he were to discuss it in a literary sense. 

There were moments where he wondered what goddess was reincarnated to become Cecelia Akamatsu. There was something _holy_ about the way that she held herself, the way that she was the entirety of an open book. They were now playing billiards in Kichijoji, brown eyes staring at the vice-president with a cue stick in her hand. She was purely analytical now, and the detective wondered what went through her mind at any given moment. She was smarter than she let on, more cunning and crafting than the caring exterior showed. They were similar, though not as much as he found himself wanting them to be.

“You have something on your mind, Goro,” there she was, reading him even though she couldn’t see his face. She was now bent over, cue stick aimed at the white ball that was sitting in the near middle of the table, and it took all the willpower the boy had to not pay attention to the way she made the position look so seductive, especially in that dress that she was wearing. “Is that so?” The boy asked with a grin, turning his attention from the sharp blue gaze that looked over at him for a split second and onto the table instead. There was silence between the two of them, and the brown-eyed boy wondered if other customers at Penguin Sniper could feel the tension between the two of them, or simply thought they were two teenagers who happened to be playing billiards on their day off from school together.

“You’re more quiet than usual,” the vice-president stated matter-of-factly, and, with one strong stroke, the white cue ball was sent flying, landing one ball in the far left pocket of the table. “Either you had a really awful day and trying to not let it show, or you have something that you want to tell me, or ask another philosophical question that I spend more time figuring out than answering.” In the past two interactions with Cecelia, Goro has noticed that the vice-president had become more blunt, her words having a sharper edge to them than normal. The coldness that occasionally comes from the girl could rival Sae-san’s sometimes, although he wouldn’t admit that to either the grey-haired prosecutor or the black-haired girl.

“My, you’ve gotten awfully blunt.” It was a teasing jab with a sharp edge, him using it to see where her intentions truly lie. She wasn’t quick to anger like most people, but there was no missing the way her gaze sharpened. “Very well, I’ll humour you.” The detective took her expression as a response, his gaze now focused on the white cue ball in front of him. “What’s gotten into you?” 

“I beg your pardon?”

The click of the cue stick hitting the white ball almost covers up the pure shock laced in the vice-president’s voice, and Goro had to bite back a grin as he turned to face the girl. He didn’t even turn to look at the table again to know that two of the balls had sunken into pockets, instead focused on the blue eyes that were boring into him. “Your walls are back up.” The detective’s voice was purely analytical, pleasant façade cracking and revealing a more harsher side. “You’re showing signs of stress, and you have something on your mind.” 

_Do it,_ There was the other voice making its appearance in the boy’s head, _Toy with her. Make her yours, just as you wish._ “Maybe you should focus more on the psychology side of things then, Goro.” All shock had dissipated at this point, and it was at this moment when he wondered for a brief second if there was more to her than being the police chief’s daughter and having enough empathy for all of Tokyo and they were truly similar than he initially gauged. “What do you think of escaping?” 

It was now the detective’s turn to have shock running through his body, eyes wide for a second. There were seconds of silence that were twisted into brief moments of deliberation, him knowing he had to choose his words carefully. _Or,_ the more twisted of the voices snickered, _you could push every button and finally get her to crack. To hell with patience._ It was at moments like this where the two sides of Goro Akechi finally battle things out, and there’s something even bigger than the two of them reminding him that there’s a much, _much_ bigger goal than what the two faces of himself. “Escaping,” he repeats, and he doesn’t miss the way the vice-president silently cheers for herself as she sinks two balls in the pockets at once, making it an even playing field. “Depending on the situation, it can be entirely beneficial, although it can be on the more selfish side.”

\--- 

Cecelia wanted to go home. What was meant to be a fun time at billiards was a full blown interrogation between the two sharpest teenagers in the entirety of Penguin Sniper, with billiards being used as background noise more than anything else. She regrets bringing this question up, and she regrets hearing his answer because he knows that she knows that it’s what she wants to hear. _We’re Akamatsus, Lia. And Akamatsus keep themselves safe._ If only her ten year old self was better at analytics. 

Maybe that’s why she chose to study psychology over the summer. 

Xenia was trying to calm the girl from having a breakdown in the middle of a darts shop, the grey-skinned Saint being the only thing that was keeping every wall from breaking. Oh, how she wished she was with Ann right now, the blonde would distract her from everything bad with her rants of how crepes shouldn’t be that cheap if they were that good, and the vice-president would try to bring up the effects of supply and demand and the low prices get people like the pigtail-wearing model coming back for more. Ten-year-old Cecelia was back, screaming in French. _“Bon coeur ne peut mentir.”_ That was a common line in literature, at least in the stories she used to read in order to keep some part of herself alive. It was said from best friends while infatuated girls were stuck to decide between two boys. Oh how much of a lie it was. 

<“I didn’t know you spoke French, Cecelia.” Biting back a curse, she stepped back from the billiards table. As Goro aimed his cue stick, reddish-brown eyes were aimed directly at the blue of the girl. “There is truly more to you than meets the eyes.” Then his attention was turned back to the table, and, with a satisfying ‘clack’, the white cue ball meets the last remaining ball and sinks it into a pocket, meaning that the detective had won. 

“Just a hobby,” The vice-president responded to the unspoken question before the flames of curiosity could lick even higher than they had previously. “I’m surprised you don’t know more languages.” That was the truth, from the first time Cecelia Akamatsu saw Goro Akechi her brain automatically decided that he was the right amount of pretentious to learn Russian simply as a party trick, use it to prove just how smart he is because Russian is just one of those languages that looking at it made the vice-president’s head spin. 

God she wanted coffee. She wasn’t in the mood for brain games with Goro Akechi, and he seemed to be having too much fun with it. “For “just a hobby” you seem to be awfully fluent.” He was enjoying this, the vice-president wanted safety. Her head was pounding because one too many things had happened recently and she was running off of little sleep and she wanted to throw up. But, then again, what was the problem with telling the truth? It wasn’t as if he would use it against her in the future, right? 

_Because,_ a more practical Cecelia was talking right now, her brain switching from the emotional side of her to the vice-president side, the one that knew everything that she needed to and presented the cold, hard truth as it needed to be presented, _you know nothing about Goro Akechi._ That hit her harder than any shadow that presented itself in Kamoshida’s Palace, even the ones that’s curse skills seemed to miss everyone but hers because her impulsive mindset gets her into more trouble than it’s worth. “I’ve been studying it for a long time,” vice-president Cecelia said, not Luna, not the Cecelia who sobbed in her father’s arms for a month straight. 

Goro, accepting defeat, dropped the conversation. Instead of that, he simply grabs his briefcase and checks his phone at the same time, seeming too satisfied for how he made the girl feel. “I must apologize, but I have to be getting back to work now. Thank you for the time spent together.” 

\--- 

When Cecelia unlocked the door to the Akamatsu household, she wondered if she should apologize to Goro for the way she behaved when she was playing billiards with the detective. She wanted to either laugh or cry when that thought shot around her brain like the ones that she fired in the Metaverse. Shutting the large wooden door behind her with a slam that was louder than necessary, the girl slid against the door until she was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest- the fabric of her dress bunching up shorter than she would like. Panic attacks were not uncommon, but panic attacks about _Goro fucking Akechi_ were not welcome. They were an unexplainable variable, the straw that broke the fatigued vice-president’s back. Minako seemed to agree with this statement, and as the large Shiba Inu wrapped itself around its owner, the girl finally let sobs wrack through her body, her screaming out curses as she hyperventilated. 

She was still crying as she picked herself up off of the floor, and her entire body was shaking as she threw her purse onto the dining room table that had two sets of textbooks covering the half of it that was close to the kitchen. Those were Akira’s she realized, the workbook that had his name scribbled on the cover in black sharpie showed that. That itself grounded the vice-president and distracted her from the boy that was causing many more problems than he was worth. And, in a bitter flash of something between anger and spite, she came to the realization that this is perhaps what Xenia was talking about, and that he truly was not worth all of the trouble he caused. 

Her grey shirt turned a darker shade when she wiped the tears running down her face off of it, her using the opportunity to climb the stairs and make her way to the bathroom, her leaning against the counter and not looking at herself in the mirror and instead holding her hands in a prayer like position, trying to stabilize her breathing a little bit more so that she could think things through with the hint of rational thinking. Still not looking at herself in the mirror, the vice-president pushed the black showercurtain and the clear one underneath it aside and, with a flick of her wrist, turned the water on to the hottest setting. 

It was going to be a long night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bon coeur ne peut mentir. - the heart sees farther than the head 
> 
> apologies for this chapter not being the long one that i promised; i came to a good stopping point in my writing and wanted to give y'all something to read. next chapter will be up soon, and i hope everyone is staying safe and well! thank you for your support this far, i appreciate each and every one of you


	23. 22 - are you feeling alive?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Akira notices something off with Cecelia, and the Phantom Thieves begin the lookout for their next target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update! I apologize that this is on the shorter side of things, I just wanted to get something out. I also want to note that I have done some minor edits to earlier chapters, and I have completely changed Cecelia's phantom thief outfit. If you want to go back and read about it, I replaced Cecelia's old outfit in her awakening which is in chapter three, titled "Saint Xenia", but is not crucial to this chapter. I will describe the notes before the next chapter though since they will be doing stuff in the metaverse. Once again, I am so sorry for my extended absence, and regular updates will not be happening. Thank you for your support!
> 
> EDIT 3/2/2021: I added more to this chapter, about ~1000 words worth. Please take the time to read it, as it will be important for the next chapter.

_There was something off with Cecelia._

That was Akira’s first thought as he saw the vice-president walk towards him in the early morning of May 6th, the plaid skirt of Shujin Academy flowing in the light breeze. Even from here, the wildcard could see the way her shoulders were hunched over slightly, the confident air that was normally around her replaced by something more sombre, almost as if she was mulling things over in her head more than usual for the black-haired girl. But, what concerned the glasses-wearing boy the most, is that, when the girl’s blue eyes made contact with the onyx, she plastered a fake smile onto her face and straightened herself out.

“Good morning, Akira. Did you sleep well?” There was a hint of genuinity in the vice-president’s voice, and the wildcard raised an eyebrow at her and the way she was addressing him more formally than usual, almost as if she was trying to not let her emotions show. Arséne was stirring within him as well; he had been more present in his mind whenever he was hanging out with Cecelia, the gentleman thief also sensing a disturbance in the blue-eyed girl. Due to it being a relatively hot day, the vice-president had her curls tied up into a ponytail, them being tied back by a white ribbon. While sticking his hands in his pockets, the wildcard also felt Morgana pop out of his school bag and rest his front paws on the persona user’s blazer-clad shoulder. “Good morning mom!” The feline greeted with enthusiasm, making the pink lips of the girl quirk up into the faintest hint of a smile.

“Yeah, what about you?” The boy responded after the vice-president greeted the cat with a scratch behind his ears. When the blue-eyed girl did this, Akira could smell her perfume, it is a mix of lavender and mint that had a calming quality to it. When the two of them started making their way to the station, the glasses-wearing boy didn’t miss the grimace that crossed the vice-president’s face before she responded. “More or less.” That was all she replied with, and the boy took it as a sign to not press any further into the conversation to not upset her. A sigh left the boy’s lips at that, them curling into a frown.

\---

Cecelia Akamatsu didn’t like her true self being known. For her, it was better to be taken at face value by the people who needed her, to throw away any unnecessary emotion that was not beneficial in the given situation. She reacted quicker that way, her taking the facts as they are and not letting emotions cloud her judgement in a way that would distract her. That’s one of the reasons she thrived as the vice-president of the student council. All walls were up then, blue eyes full of a deadly light that could rival Goro Akechi’s when he got passionate about a certain case. That itself made the vice-president’s blue eyes darken, even more, her looking down at her boot covered feet as she walked with Akira to the station.

Why was this so difficult? Chewing the inside of her cheek, she shook her head slightly to clear the chaos of thoughts that swirled around her head. She was just probably on edge from the Kamoshida case still, the amount of picking up her and the student council had to do was enough to make anyone crack under stress. Without officially telling them, Principal Kobayakawa entrusted the task of figuring out what to do with the current absence of a gym teacher, and that alone made the beginning of a headache form in the back of her skull.

She was broken out of these thoughts as she and Akira walked down the stairway to the train platform by a warmer hand wrapping around her cold one and interlacing his fingers with hers, the blue-eyed girl looking up at the taller persona user with furrowed brows. Still looking ahead, the wildcard said nothing, but Cecelia swore she saw the hint of a smirk beginning to form on the onyx-eyed boy’s face. Simply just rolling her eyes, the vice-president just stepped closer to the boy as the two entered the subway, blending into the crowd of people.

\---

The bell had just rung for lunch when the vice-president shouldered her bag and left the classroom, her tapping the screen of her phone to light it up. Frowning at the screen, Cecelia opened her messaging app, typing out a reply to the multiple messages that the creator of the Phantom Aficionado Website had sent her.

 **Mishima Yuuki:** Hey, Akamatsu-senpai! It’s Mishima.

 **Mishima Yuuki:** I was wondering if I could talk to you sometime today? There’s something I want to ask you.

Frowning at the screen, the blue-eyed girl stopped in her tracks, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Chewing the inside of her cheek, the girl stopped travelling down the wooden hallway and leaned against one of the white walls, typing out a reply.

 **Cecelia:** of course! we could meet after school if it works for you.

 **Cecelia:** it is something that would take a long conversation? if so, we could meet in the student council room

 **Cecelia:** or, if not, i could stop by your classroom after school and we could talk there

 **Mishima Yuuki:** Stopping by the classroom would be fine! Thank you so much

“Hey, is everything alright?” Looking up from her phone with her blue eyes wide, the vice-president visibly relaxing when her eyes met onyx. Akira. His voice was smooth and his eyebrows were furrowed in concern. Cecelia let out a light laugh at the concern. “I’m okay, Akira.” The wildcard seemed to relax at that, and the vice-president noticed that the glasses-wearing boy quickly glanced at the wall that was above the girl for a split second. It was the girl’s turn to furrow her eyebrows, her tilting her head slightly. Then, she saw the boy mumble to himself, a frown on his face. Something about...guts?

Clearing his throat when he noticed the girl staring, he gestured for the vice-president to walk beside him. It had been a couple of minutes after the bell had chimed, so most of the plaid-wearing students had vacated the hallways. “Ryuji and Ann wanted me to come and collect you,” the boy started as the vice-president fell into step beside him, “apparently they’re discussing something about the website.”

The phantom aficionado website was something that had just recently appeared due to the Phantom Thieves stealing Kamoshida’s heart. Ryuji was the first to find it, him them letting the other thieves know of its presence when they had their celebration at the buffet. It wasn’t the worst website that the vice-president had seen, with a red and black theme that Cecelia had to blink a couple of times for her eyes to adjust. At the bottom of the screen, that moved with the vice-president whenever she scrolled, was a question. 

_Do you believe in the Phantom Thieves?_

The percentage was very low, it only being 6.5 to 6.6 percent. Anonymous comments flashed below the percentage bar, each one making Cecelia just sigh and shove her phone back into her bag. Looking forward, the bless-skilled persona user didn’t notice Akira staring at her for a second, her chewing the inside of her cheek. If she was sincere, she knew that most people wouldn’t even believe that the phantom thieves at this point, for she wouldn’t.

“-it seriously sucks that our school is gonna be known for stuff like this!”

Walking past two second-year girls to meet up with the two blondes, Cecelia stopped in her tracks next to Ann when the remainder of the sentence came out of the girl’s mouth. Furrowing her eyebrows, she looked at the model for context, who simply just mouthed ‘phantom thieves’. Nodding in return, the vice-president leaned up against the wall. Tuning out the two second-years, the vice-president, feeling her phone vibrate, pulled it out of her bag, scowling at the screen. With the screen reading ‘DO NOT ANSWER’, the black-haired girl declined the call, deciding that it would be easier to deal with the caller later when she had the energy to rather than now.

“I wonder if it will affect our college entrance…” With one of the girls trailing off, she looked around the hallway. Seeing the four phantom thieves, but specifically the vice-president, the girl perked up. “Hey, Akamatsu-senpai!” The girl said, making her voice louder than the whisper she had it at earlier. Perking up at her name being spoken, the blue-eyed girl looked up from the contact she was staring at.

“Yes?” Forcing a smile on her face, the girl stood up straighter and picked herself up off the cream-coloured wall, the vice-president portion of her personality came to the surface. ”Do you think that colleges will look at us differently now that the whole thing with Kamoshida happened?” The girl spoke up, and the blue-eyed girl shook her head after a few seconds of deliberation.

“No, because of multiple reasons. First, with the arrest of Kamoshida and all of his actions coming to light, they should have no effect on how colleges view you as an individual. Secondly, the time when you apply to colleges and take entrance exams, all of this should have been long blown over,” seeing the two second-year’s hesitation, the vice-president offered a smile, “if you have any more questions, feel free to ask President Niijima, she knows more about the matter than I do.” The girl added, knowing that the brunette would have better advice than the blue-eyed girl could come up with on the fly. With that, the two girls walked off, leaving the five persona users alone once more.

As soon as the girls left, Ryuji spoke up, a downtrodden look on his face, “that’s prolly a normal reaction for now, but...they’ll see soon enough!” With a grin, the ex-track member looked between the other thieves, “as soon as we take care of some famous guys, they’ll have to believe we exist.” 

Cecelia nodded at that, her fiddling with a curl as she glanced down the hallway to make sure that there weren’t any people listening in. She wasn’t sure as to why they all decided to stay in the middle of the stairwell where most people tended to end up, but it wasn’t as if she could say anything beforehand. This just sort of _happened_ , the vice-president not knowing it was happening until Akira came to meet her and them meeting up with the rest of the thieves. Speaking of, the blue-eyed girl glanced at the wildcard, who was looking around just like her. Making eye contact, she saw the onyx-eyed boy raise an eyebrow as an unspoken question, the girl just shaking her head in response.

“Speaking of that… we don’t have any leads yet, right?” Ann asked, her fiddling with a piece of hair. She sounded dejected, and the way she looked down at the floor, “plus, with that rumour of you two threatening Kamoshida going around…” she trailed off at that, the vice-president nodding at that. With the blue-eyed girl being more aware than most students of the whispers of gossip that spread around the school, she found herself listening in on matters that revolved around the two male persona users, specifically on their encounter with the former gym teacher in his office. Without saying anything about the matter, the girl was hoping that her hanging out with the two boys and Ann would help diminish some of these rumours, but, it just ended up being the complete opposite. The rumour that was spoken the most was one revolving around the fact the vice-president was supposedly hanging out with the two boys to "catch them in the act", it making the girl just roll her eyes as she walked down the hallways. 

Morgana popping out of Akira's bag broke Cecelia out of her thoughts. "We should just lay low for now,” the cat stated firmly, it’s front paws resting on the glasses-wearing boy’s shoulder, “you guys should just focus on living a normal, honest school life for the time being.” With nods from everyone and a promise to look for more information, the thieves dispersed. 

\---

Stepping out of the student council room when the final bell ended for the day, blue eyes widened as the vice-president nearly ran straight into Yoshizawa-san, the ribbon-wearing girl’s eyes lighting up when she saw the black-haired vice-president. “Good afternoon, Akamatsu-senpai. I was wondering if you could unlock the gym for me? I got permission from Principal Kobayakawa to practice my gymnastics in there, but it’s locked.

Taking in the vibrant first-year, black eyebrows furrowed for a moment as she digested the question. Nodding once, a smile formed on pink lips as she made eye contact with the younger girl, “Of course, I would be more than happy to,” Cecelia said, Yoshizawa-san perking up even more at that. The two exchanged small talk as they left the main building and into the athletic one. With their currently being lack of a gym teacher and coach, sports were on hold indefinitely and the gym was locked due to the lack of gym classes. As of right now, what would be student’s gym periods were turned into a study hall, but that was only for this week. Coming next week, student council members were soon going to be taking over gym classes while the school was looking for a replacement teacher, knowing that the position would be filled sooner rather than later.

Was Cecelia happy about the fact? Not necessarily. But, it put her in the good graces with Principal Kobayakawa, which would help her out in the future. With being a student council member, she was hoping that he would write her a good letter of recommendation in the future, so doing anything to get on the more positive side of the man was always better than being on his bad side. Opening the door to the athletic office, the vice-president flipped the light switch, the red-haired girl right behind her. “I’m going tell you where the keys are, becuase you do have permission to use the gym. If anyone tries to get you in trouble, just tell them to talk to me about it and I’ll deal with it.” Seeing the ribbon-wearing girl nod, the blue-eyed girl made sure she was watching when she opened the drawer where the keys were in and pulled them out.

With the first-year behind her, the black-haired girl unlocked the main doors of the gym. Holding out the set of keys, the vice-president smiled at the younger girl. “The key to the lockerrooms is also on here too, if you need to get into them. Just remember to lock everything back up when you’re done.” With a nod, Yoshizawa-san smiled at the curly-haired girl. “Okay! Thank you so much, Akamatsu-senpai!” 

Giggling slightly at the girl’s enthusiasm, she smiled in return. “Of course. If you need anything, feel free to come and find me. I hope everything goes well, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Once the girl nodded, the vice-president turned on her heels. Leaving the athletic building, the wind swirled around the girl, it messing with her hair that was still in its ponytail. It was a fairly gloomy day, and the weather report said that there would be rain in Yongen-Jaya later tonight. 

“Yeah, I will.”

Stopping in the doorway of classroom 2-D, Cecelia blinked at the two boys who were in only ones in the classroom. Akira was leaning on the desk behind his, blinking at the dark-blued hair boy. Yuuki-san was the one who uttered that final statement, it causing the vice-president to furrow her eyebrows and chewing the inside of her cheek. Walking into the classroom, the black-haired girl made her way to stand beside the glasses-wearing boy. “I hope I’m not interrupting something,” the girl said softly as she made her way over to the two, both pairs of eyes turning to look at her.

“A-Akamatsu-senpai!” Yuuki-san stuttered out, his cheeks turning pink, “you-you weren’t interrupting anything, don’t worry!” The boy said with a smile as the girl stopped beside the wildcard. Furrowing her eyebrows at the boy’s reaction to her appearance, she paused for a minute. Gripping her school bag, she glanced at the glasses-wearing boy who was simply staring at the former volleyball player with a scowl on his face. Blue eyes flickered between the two with uncertainty shining in them. “...Yuuki-san, is there anything that I can help you with? You did ask me to come and see you.”

That was what snapped the blue-haired boy out of his trance of staring at Cecelia, a pink blush still on his cheeks. “Y-Yes, I just wanted to thank you for all the help with dealing with Kamoshida, and also…” Not wanting to make eye contact with the vice-president for some reason, the boy trailed off after making eye contact with the onyx-eyed boy who was standing behind the vice-president. “Actually, nevermind, and I hopeyouhaveanicenight.” Spitting out the last part of the sentence, the boy simply grabbed his bag and practically sprinted out of the classroom, leaving the blue-eyed girl blinking at the place he once stood.

“Was he acting weird to you?” The vice-president asked the other black-haired persona user, her turning to look at him. Simply shrugging, the boy replied nonchalantly as he grabbed his bag, “he seemed fine to me.” Noticing the hint of agitation in his voice, the girl just chewed the inside of her cheek as she watched the boy hold out his bag for Morgana to jump into, her getting even more confused. Choosing not to question it, the girl felt her phone buzz with yet another phone call, her already knowing who it was from. Sighing, the girl just pulled her phone out of her bag, seeing the two workbooks in her bag. 

“Oh! Akira, here’s your workbook. You left it at my house and I keep forgetting to give it back, so sorry about that,” with a smile on her face, Cecelia handed the book to him, Akira smiling in return. Placing the book in his bag, the two black-haired persona users left the school together.

\---

Stepping out of the flower shop, blue eyes tiredly looked around the quickly emptying underground mall. Dirt covered hands pushed the sleeves of her turtleneck and button-up up her arms, the vice-president trying to fight the exhaustion that was beginning to creep into her body. Getting a text message from her boss that they were busier than normal, Cecelia instantly rushed to help the older woman, not getting the time to go home and get changed into something different. There were pros and cons to that being the case: the main con being that it got ridiculously hot in the shop, but the pro being that she usually ended up getting more “sympathy tips”, as the vice-president liked to call them. Typically, the flower shop didn’t even do tips, but people tended to feel sympathetic for the girl working later in the evening, so they ended up paying more than needed for their purchases and telling the two of them to keep the change. When it first happened, her boss told her to keep the extra, blue eyes went wide as she frantically refused the offer.

_ “Akamatsu-chan,” the woman started with a fond smile on her face, looking at the second year, “I and my husband make more than enough to cover everything we could ever need. I know your father works a lot and it’s mostly you on your own: I wouldn’t be happy with myself if I let you struggle.” _

Not being able to come up with a reasonable rebuttal, the girl just took the extra money and thanked the older woman profusely, who simply laughed lightly at the vice-president’s actions. Now, even though the days where Cecelia dropped everything after school to come and make bouquets and sell fertilizer in her school uniform were few and far between, she always got the extra cash. And, she didn’t say it (but she was sure her boss knew), but the few extra yen went a long way. Due to her father not being home most of the time because of work, the girl was the one who usually went grocery shopping and other things along those lines. Haruki Akamatsu did care deeply about his daughter still though, so he usually made sure that the vice-president had enough money to function without worrying.

Feeling her phone buzz, the girl pulled the grey model out of her bag, her biting back a curse. She had been getting phone calls from the same person all day, and she didn’t even want to think of them right now, let alone talk to them. She was sure if she told her father of the dilemma he would just stare at his only daughter with something akin to concern flashing in his grey eyes and give her some sort of lecture that she heard every year around this time. But, instead of her body filling with dread when staring at her lockscreen and the numerous notifications of missed calls, she was surprised to find that the chat of the phantom thieves was active.

Tapping open the group chat as the vice-president forked over two 100 yen coins for some green tea that was subpar at best, the girl’s eyes widened as she saw the message that was sent by Akira. He was normally never one to start conversations, and, from the message he sent, it was probably good that he did in this scenario.

**Akira:** Mishima knows about us.

**Ann:** what do u mean by “knows about us”?

**Ann:** like in general or…

Brushing a curl out of her face, the girl winced at the hot drink burning her tongue as she stepped on the train. Finding an empty seat, Cecelia placed the cardboard cup between her thighs to make sure it didn’t fall when the train began to move. Typing out a response, the vice-president simply said what she knew the glasses-wearing boy was going to say next.

**Cecelia:** he knows of us as phantom thieves

**Cecelia:** that would explain why he wanted to talk to you after school, Akira?

**Akira:** Yeah

**Ryuji:** dude, what the hell

**Ryuji:** how did he figue that out?

**Ann:** i don’t think that matters

**Ann:** our problem is if he is gonna report us 2 kobayakawa 

**Akira:** He’s not going to.

As the train rumbled past various stations and the vice-president drank her tea, she read about how the boy wanted to help out the phantom thieves in any way that he could. Also, he was the creator of the “Phan-Site” as he liked to call it, and he had just added a forum for people to post about their issues so the phantom thieves could help them. It was rather sweet in a way, and something in the vice-president’s gut knew that they could trust the blue-haired boy with this. 

**Ann:** well, the forum sounds good 4 us

**Ann:** b4 we find any more big targets, we could use that 2 see what people have to say and stuff

**Ryuji:** yea, mayb it will help us find targets

**Ryuji:** lets keep our eyes out, yea?

**Akira:** Sounds good.

**Ann:** i’m down!

**Cecelia:** will do

With the conversation ending, the rest of the ride passed by in a blur. Pulling out a pair of earbuds that she kept in her bag for train rides specifically, the girl tried to tune out her thoughts and simply let herself absorb all the information she had just received. Using the rest of the time on the subway for that, she found herself walking down the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya sooner than she thought she would. Grey clouds covered the moon, so she ended up using the street lamps as her main guide to her house. Subcionsuly glancing at Leblanc as she passed it, the vice-president wasn’t surprised to find the cafe closed, shadows covering the wooden surfaces and leather chairs.

Unlocking the house and flicking on the main light in the entrance, she heard Minako run down the stairs and greet her owner, nearly knocking her down in the process. A laugh bubbled from Cecelia’s throat at this, and she dumped her school bag on the kitchen counter and grabbed the shiba’s food bowl. Feeding the excited dog (and giving her an extra treat because the blue-eyed girl felt guilty about leaving her), she found a note for her on the counter, written in her father’s handwriting. It was stating that the man had to stay overnight at the station once again due to them being on alert for some reason that he couldn’t specify, and that he already took the dog for a walk. Making a mental note to call him in the morning, the girl grabbed the container of sushi in the fridge and opened it, eating the pieces as she cleaned up the kitchen.

An hour and a half later, the vice-president emerged from the shower, dressed in a pair of blue and white striped pyjama shorts and the matching top. Brushing her teeth as she scrunched her curls, the girl didn’t even look in the mirror, solely focused on getting into bed. Spitting into the sink and drinking some water, the girl made her way to her room, fairy lights lighting her room instead of the main overhead. Due to it being a relatively warmer day, Cecelia turned on a fan on her nightstand and climbed under her covers, her dog joining her seconds later. Plugging her phone in and setting an alarm, the vice-president finally let sleep overtake her, not expecting the things that would plague her sleep moments later.


End file.
